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Archive-name: rec-skate-faq/competitive-figure-skating Last-modified: 20 Feb 1995 COMPETITIVE FIGURE SKATING FAQ LIST =================================== This is the FAQ list for (amateur) competitive figure skating. It contains information about figure skating as a spectator sport (as opposed to as a participatory activity). This FAQ list is posted to rec.skate approximately monthly during the competition season. Send corrections and suggestions to loosemore-sandra@cs.yale.edu. This file is available in both plain-text and HTML versions. If you're looking at the HTML version (using a browser such as NCSA Mosaic), you can click on items in the table of contents to get to the appropriate section. You can get to the HTML version from the Figure Skating WWW Page at URL: http://www.cs.yale.edu/HTML/YALE/CS/HyPlans/loosemore-sandra/skate.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TABLE OF CONTENTS ================= ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Part A] Rules and Regulations * [A.1] How is figure skating scored? * [A.2] Sometimes a judge gives marks that seem way too low. Why is this permitted to happen? * [A.3] Why is skating judged on a scale from 0 to 6 instead of 0 to 10? * [A.4] What about rules for professional competitions? * [A.5] Are professional skaters allowed to compete in the Olympics? Are amateurs allowed to be paid for skating? * [A.6] Why can't skaters do back flips in competition? * [A.7] What is the "Katarina Rule"? * [A.8] How do they decide which skaters get to go to the Olympics or world championships? * [A.9] Why was [well-known skater] not disqualified when she had trouble with her skate laces? [Part B] Technical Elements * [B.1] What are the different jumps? How did they get such funny names? * [B.2] What about spins and other moves? * [B.3] What are the required elements for the short program? * [B.4] What technical elements should I expect to see in a medal-winning free-skating program? * [B.5] What's the difference between ice dancing and pair skating? * [B.6] The scoring in ice dancing often seem totally random to me. What are judges really looking for in ice dancing? * [B.7] I've heard the TV commentators talking about the skaters' speed. What is this all about? * [B.8] What is "precision skating"? * [B.9] What is "hydroblading"? [Part C] Skating People and Events * [C.1] Who's this Dick Button guy, anyway? * [C.2] Who was the first person to do [various jumps]? * [C.3] When are upcoming competitions? * [C.4] How do I get tickets for these competitions? * [C.5] Why didn't [well-known skater] compete at [Skate America | Skate Canada | NHK Cup | etc]? * [C.6] What's the piece of music so-and-so is skating to? * [C.7] Who are recent [US | world | Olympic | etc] champions? * [C.8] How do I send fan mail to my favorite skater? * [C.9] Whatever happened to [some competitor from N years ago]? [Part D] References * [D.1] Are there any good books about figure skating? * [D.2] What about magazines? * [D.3] Are there any other figure skating resources on the net? * [D.4] Who wrote this FAQ list? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [PART A] RULES AND REGULATIONS ============================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [A.1] How is figure skating scored? The singles and pair events each have two parts, the short program and the free skate. In the short program (formerly called the original or technical program), the skaters must execute eight required elements (jumps, spins, and footwork sequences); there are mandatory deductions for failures, and skaters are not permitted to retry missed elements or insert extra elements. In the free skate, there are no required elements, and falling or omitting elements counts against the skater only as far as it reduces the overall difficulty of the program, or if it disrupts the flow of the program. Skaters are given two marks. The technical mark (for required elements or technical merit) is supposed to reflect the difficulty of the program and the clean execution of the elements. The artistic mark (for presentation or artistic impression) is supposed to reflect the choreography, music interpretation, flow, and balance of the program, and other factors such as making good use of the ice surface and skating with speed and sureness. The two marks from each judge are added together and used to assign skaters rankings. (In the case of ties, the technical mark has more weight in the short program, and the artistic mark in the free skate.) Then the rankings from each judge are used to determine the overall placements; the skater with the majority of first-place votes places first, etc. There is a complicated procedure for breaking ties and determining placements when no skater has a majority of votes, but the marks from all the judges are *not* added together, nor are the high and low marks discarded. The placements from each part of the competition are multiplied by a weighting factor, and then added together to get the final placements in the competition. The factor for the short program is 0.5, and the factor for the free skate is 1.0. Scoring for ice dancing is similar, except that skaters do two compulsory dances selected from a set that rotates yearly and an original dance to a rhythm that also changes each year as well as a free dance. The weighting factors are .2 for each compulsory dance, .6 for original dance, and 1.0 for the free dance. For the 1994-1995 season, the compulsory dances are the Yankee Polka, Ravensburger Waltz, Argentine Tango, and the Rhumba; and the original dance rhythm is the Quickstep. If you are really curious, there are some computer programs that implement the scoring rules available by anonymous FTP from host haskell.cs.yale.edu, in directory /pub/sjl/www/skate. There are versions in Common Lisp and in C. [A.2] Sometimes a judge gives marks that seem way too low. Why is this permitted to happen? First of all, remember that the marks given by a judge to a particular skater are meaningless compared to the marks given by other judges --all that matters is how THAT SAME JUDGE ranks the skater compared to the other competitors. Sometimes a judge consistently marks all skaters a few tenths lower than the other judges without giving them significantly different rankings. Because the competition results are determined by a majority vote of the judges, an individual judge can rarely influence the outcome of a competition by ranking a skater much higher or lower than is really appropriate. Furthermore, the referee of the competition is required to report instances of questionable judging, which can lead to disqualification of the judge in question for future competitions. (And in extreme cases of national bias, the ISU has been known to ban ALL judges from a particular country.) So judges actually have little motivation to try to deliberately manipulate the results of the competition. [A.3] Why is skating judged on a scale from 0 to 6 instead of 0 to 10? The reason why skating is judged on a scale where the perfect mark is 6.0 is because of its historical origins in tracing compulsory figures. Each figure was skated three times on each foot, and the judges were supposed to count one "point" for each tracing. [A.4] What about rules for professional competitions? In general, there AREN'T any rules -- each competition seems to have its own format and judging system. Most of the pro events are invitation-only, and often skaters are guaranteed large appearance fees in addition to the announced prize money. International pro-am events use the amateur (ISU) scoring system outlined above. Non-international pro-am competitions in the US have also used this format but with some relaxations of the rules regarding the length and content of the programs. [A.5] Are professional skaters allowed to compete in the Olympics? Are amateurs allowed to be paid for skating? The policy of the international governing body for skating, the ISU, has been that any skater who takes part in a competition that is not sanctioned by the ISU (or one of its national governing bodies, such as the USFSA) loses eligibility to compete in future "amateur" events. It used to be that the loss of eligibility was considered permanent, but after the 1992 championships, the policy was changed to allow professionals to be reinstated if they stop participating in the banned activities. At the same time, it was decided to allow a wider range of competitions to be sanctioned -- for example, competitions where both eligible and ineligible skaters compete for prize money. (The ISU is likely not to permit professional skaters to reinstate after April, 1995. Many people consider reinstatement to be a failed policy because it has not the intended effect of bringing all skaters back into ISU-sponsored competitions on a permanent basis.) Aside from the matter of sanctioned competitions, the dividing line between amateur and professional status has otherwise become very blurred -- so-called amateur skaters can still be paid for doing ice shows, competitions, endorsements, TV appearances, and the like. It is more accurate to refer to their status as "eligible" than "amateur". [A.6] Why can't skaters do back flips in competition? Basically, because the consensus in the skating community is that back flips aren't really a skating move, and that if they were allowed in competition, the character of the sport might change in ways that are seen as undesirable. The same reasoning applies to other forbidden moves, such as pair-skating moves where the man swings the lady around by her feet, or lifts above the shoulder in ice dancing. [A.7] What is the "Katarina Rule"? This refers to the guidelines for skaters' costumes that were adopted after Katarina Witt showed up at the 1988 European championships wearing a skimpy showgirl costume trimmed with feathers. (Many people were dismayed by the increasing emphasis on theatrical costuming and displays of pulchritude, rather than athleticism.) Ladies are now required to wear skirts and pants "covering the hips and posterior". Men cannot wear clothing that is sleeveless or that exposes the chest. A more recent rule change requires men to wear trousers and not tights. Clothing is also supposed to be free from "excessive decoration", such as feathers that can come loose and create a safety hazard on the ice. Other rules that are nicknamed after particular skaters are the "Zayak rule" (which restricts skaters from performing the same triple jump more than twice in a program) and the "Boitano rule" (reinstatement of professionals). [A.8] How do they decide which skaters get to go to the Olympics or world championships? The ISU allocates the slots to the different countries depending on the placement of their skaters at the previous year's world championships. Basically, if a country placed a competitor in the top 3 (top 5 for pairs), they get to send three entrants in that division; if they placed a competitor in the top 10, they get to send 2; and otherwise, they can only send one entrant. Note that the slots are assigned to the countries, not the individual skaters who "earned" them at the previous competition; each country can send any skaters it wants to use up its slots. Because the number of skaters participating in these competitions has become very large in recent years (making it hard to judge these events), there is now a qualifying round competition at the world championships to seed the skaters and reduce the number who make it to the final round. There is no qualifying round competition at the Olympic games, but the ISU has instead strictly limited the number of skaters in each event (again, giving priority to countries whose skaters placed higher at the previous year's worlds). In the US, the teams for the Olympic games and world championships normally consist of the top finishers from the US national championships. In theory, the selection committee is permitted to deviate from the consecutive order of finish, but in practice about the only time they do so is when a top skater from the previous year is unable to compete at nationals due to injury. In turn, skaters qualify to compete in the US national championships by skating in regional and sectional qualifying competitions. [A.9] Why was [well-known skater] not disqualified when she had trouble with her skate laces? The rules specifically allow for situations where skaters have problems with their equipment or clothing breaking that make it difficult or dangerous for them to continue skating, as well as similar problems with their music or the ice surface. Depending on the nature of the problem and how long it takes to fix it, the referee can either allow the skaters either to immediately pick up where they left off, or to reskate their entire program after all the other skaters in the group are finished. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [PART B] TECHNICAL ELEMENTS =========================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [B.1] What are the different jumps? How did they get such funny names? The thing that distinguishes the different jumps is the takeoff. Most right-handed skaters jump in a counterclockwise direction and land all the jumps on a right back outside edge. I'll describe all the jumps in this sense to minimize confusion. These are the jumps you see in competition most often, in approximate order from least to most difficult: toe loop -- the approach is on a right back outside edge. The skater then reaches back with the left foot and jabs the toe pick into the ice to provide assistance for the jump at takeoff. Often done as the second jump of a combination, or as a solo jump after an inside three turn. (This is the same jump that roller skaters call the "mapes", and that is called a "cherry flip" in some parts of the world.) salchow -- the takeoff is from a left back inside edge; the typical approach is from a three turn. The right leg swings to the front with a scooping motion just prior to takeoff to assist the rotation. The jump is named after Ulrich Salchow, who dominated skating in the early 1900's. loop -- this is also an edge jump, with takeoff from a right back outside edge. Usually skaters approach this jump by skating backwards on two feet, with the left foot crossed in front of the right. (In Europe, this is also known as a Rittberger jump, after its inventor Werner Rittberger.) flip -- this is a toe-assisted jump from the left back inside edge and right toe pick. Like the salchow, the usual approach is a three turn. (This jump is sometimes called a "toe salchow" in Europe.) lutz -- this is a toe-assisted jump from the left back *outside* edge and right toe pick; this means that the approach curve has the opposite "direction" than the landing curve. The most typical approach for this jump is a long, shallow edge diagonally across the rink. Named after Alois Lutz. axel -- this is the only common jump with a forward takeoff, from a left front outside edge. Because of this, a single jump is actually 1.5 rotations. Named after Axel Paulsen, who invented it. You also sometimes see these jumps, usually only as single jumps: walley -- takeoff from a right back inside edge. You sometimes see a skater do two or three of them in a row, shifting from the right back outside landing edge to an inside edge to begin the next jump. toe walley -- takeoff from a right back inside edge and left toe pick. Considered interchangable with the toe loop, and often seen as a double or triple. half loop -- this is a jump with a takeoff like the loop jump, but that is landed on a left back inside edge. This is a full-revolution jump in spite of the name. It's mainly used as a linking element with a salchow in jump combinations. one-foot axel -- this is a jump with a takeoff like an axel, but that is landed on a left back inside edge like the half loop. (Roller skaters sometimes call this jump a "Colledge", after 1937 world champion Cecilia Colledge.) inside axel -- another forward-takeoff jump, this time from a right front inside edge to a normal landing on the right back outside edge. (Roller skaters call this one a "Boeckl", after 1925-28 world champion Willy Boeckl.) split jump -- the takeoff is the same as a flip, and the jump is landed facing forwards on the left toe pick and right inside edge. If the skater does a full rotation and lands backwards in the usual way, the jump is called a "split flip". You can also do a split jump from a lutz takeoff. Another variation is the "stag jump", with the left leg tucked up instead of extended. And, sometimes these terms are used to refer to jumps with problems: waxel -- a failed axel attempt, when the skater slips off the forward takeoff edge. toe axel -- a jump that is supposed to be a double toe loop, but where the skater incorrectly does an axel-like forward takeoff from the toe pick instead of the correct backwards toe-assisted takeoff. flutz -- a jump that is supposed to be a lutz, but where the skater incorrectly changes to an inside edge just before the toe pick (so that she actually executes a flip instead of a lutz). [B.2] What about spins and other moves? back spin -- performed in the same rotation sense as a forward spin, but on the opposite foot. Most right-handed skaters spin counterclockwise, doing a forward spin on the left foot and a back spin on the right foot. scratch spin -- a fast upright spin. So called because it is done on the forward part of the blade, so that the toe pick scratches the ice slightly. layback spin -- a spin with a backward or sideways lean of the torso. camel -- a spin in the "airplane" position, e.g. the torso and free leg in a horizontal position. A flying camel is a back spin in the camel position entered by means of a jump with a forward takeoff, similar to an axel. grafstrom spin -- a low camel spin, skated with a bent knee. Named after Gillis Grafstrom. hamill camel -- this is a transition from a back camel spin to a back sit spin by first bending the knee of the skating leg and then turning out the free hip to "flip over" into the sitting position. Named after Dorothy Hamill. biellman spin -- this is the spin where the skater arches her back and pulls her free leg high over her head. Named after Denise Beillman. illusion (or windmill) -- this is similar to a camel spin, but the skater bobs her torso and free leg up and down in phase with the spin. It looks kind of like a windmill. death drop -- a flying spin similar to a flying camel, but where the skater immediately drops into a back sitspin. arabian or butterfly -- a jumping move similar to the entrance of a flying camel or death drop, but without the spin afterwards. Usually done in a series of two or three in a row. spiral -- an edge skated with the free leg extended and held higher than hip level. A relatively easy move, but effective when done with good stretch and speed. spread eagle -- a figure skated on two feet with the toes pointing in opposite directions. It can be done either on outside or inside edges. Again, this is a fairly easy move and its effectiveness depends on being done with speed and a good body position (namely, without the skater's bottom jutting out awkwardly). ina bauer -- a spread eagle variant where one knee is deeply bent and the other leg stretched behind the body. Typically done with an arched back. mohawk, choctaw -- these are two-foot front-to-back or back-to-front turns. A mohawk is done on from inside-to-inside or outside-to-outside edges, while a choctaw involves a change of edge. Mohawks are commonly used in free skating as a simple turn or in step sequences, but choctaws are more typically used only in ice dancing. three turn -- the common one-foot turn, done on a circle with the cusp of the turn pointing inward. (The tracing is like a numeral 3.) Other one-foot turns are brackets, rockers, and counters, and are mostly only used in step sequences and ice dancing. [B.3] What are the required elements for the short program? These are the new rules for the 1994-95 season. For men: (a) double axel (b) a triple jump preceded by connecting steps (c) a combination of a double jump and a triple jump or two triple jumps, without intervening steps or turns (d) a flying spin (e) a camel spin or sit spin with a change of foot (f) a spin combination with a change of foot and at least two changes of position (g), (h) two different step sequences For ladies: (a) double axel (b) a double or triple jump preceded by connecting steps (c) a combination of two double jumps or a double jump and a triple jump, without intervening steps or turns (d) a flying spin (e) a layback spin (f) a spin combination with a change of foot and at least two changes of position (g) a spiral step sequence (h) another step sequence For pairs: (a) overhead lift (b) double twist lift (c) side-by-side double or triple jumps (d) side-by-side spin combinations, with a change of foot and at least one change of position (e) pair spin combination (f) death spiral (g) a spiral step sequence (h) another step sequence [B.4] What technical elements should I expect to see in a medal-winning free-skating program? For singles, the best skaters typically try to demonstrate at least 5 of the 6 triple jumps. The most difficult elements that men commonly include in their programs are either a triple axel or a quad (or both), and at least one triple/triple combination. The most difficult jumps commonly attempted by women are the triple lutz and a triple/triple combination. A well-balanced singles program also includes spins (including a flying spin and a spin combination) and step sequences (including a spiral or spread-eagle sequence). Pairs skating puts less emphasis on jumping, and the most difficult solo jump attempted by many top pairs is the double axel. Pairs are expected to do side-by-side jumps (including a jump combination), spins, and footwork sequences in their programs, but they put the real difficulty into the pair skating elements instead. A strong pairs program will usually include two different throw triple jumps; a triple twist lift; at least two other overhead lifts; and at least one pair spin and one death spiral. [B.5] What's the difference between ice dancing and pair skating? Ice dancing is supposed to be ballroom or folk dancing, adapted to ice. In practice, the difference is that ice dancers are prohibited from doing the athletic free-skating moves that pair skaters do (jumps, spins, lifts, etc) and concentrate on fancy choreography instead. Also, ice dancers must skate to music that is recognizably dance music, maintain recognizable dance holds and positions, and can only separate briefly while changing positions. [B.6] The scoring in ice dancing often seem totally random to me. What are judges really looking for in ice dancing? It's often harder for a casual spectator to evaluate ice dancing performances than free skating because ice dancers rarely make major mistakes such as falling. Some of the criteria that the judges use are how close the man and woman skate together, whether they change positions frequently, whether they skate different steps or in a face-to-face position instead of doing a lot of side-by-side shadow skating, how much speed they have as they move across the ice, and whether they skate in exact unison and in time with the music. The judges also look at the posture of the skaters, and the extension, turnout, and toe point of the free leg. [B.7] I've heard the TV commentators talking about the skaters' speed. What is this all about? The commentators are referring to how fast the skaters are moving across the ice, not to whether they are performing fast footwork or rushing through their elements. When you see skating live and in person, this is a quality that's immediately obvious even to an untrained eye, but it's usually much less obvious when you watch the same skating on TV. The judges look not only for strong, powerful stroking, but also expect skaters to carry the speed through elements like jumps, footwork, and lifts, and to flow out of them cleanly. This contributes to both the technical and artistic marks given to the skaters (since a program that shows power and flow is considered more aesthetic than one where the skater appears sluggish or hesitant). [B.8] What is "precision skating"? Precision skating is a competitive event where teams of skaters perform drill-team-like maneuvers on the ice, like pinwheels and intersecting lines. Jumps, spins, and lifts are not allowed; instead the emphasis is on footwork, maintaining precise formations, and doing complex transitions between formations. [B.9] What is "hydroblading"? It's a training technique developed by Canadian coach Uschi Keszler. The skaters do very deep edges in a near-horizontal position, holding on to something like a water bottle to support themselves (hence the name). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [PART C] SKATING PEOPLE AND EVENTS ================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [C.1] Who's this Dick Button guy, anyway? Dick Button was the 5-time world champion and 2-time Olympic champion, from 1948 to 1952. He's widely credited with introducing the modern athletic style of skating. He was the first person to do a double axel, and the first to do a triple jump (a triple loop). He also invented the flying camel spin. Here are some other people you hear about from time to time: Gus Lussi -- Dick Button's coach. Also coached Dorothy Hamill. His skaters are known for their superb spinning technique. He died in 1993. Carlo Fassi -- Italian national champion (and European champion) during the 1950's, but better known as a coach. His skaters have included Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, John Curry, Caryn Kadavy, and Jill Trenary. Toller Cranston -- Canadian men's champion during the 1970's, now a choreographer and coach. Known as a dramatic stylist. Tamara Moskvina -- Russian pair coach (e.g., of Mishkutenok and Dmitriev). Sandra Bezic -- Canadian pairs champion (with her brother Val) during the 1970's, now a choreographer (e.g., for Boitano and Yamaguchi) and TV commentator. Jutta Muller -- coached Katarina Witt, Jan Hoffman, and most of the other well-known East German singles skaters. Ludmila & Oleg Protopopov -- Russian pair skaters who won Olympic gold medals in 1964 and 1968. They're known for their ballet-like style. They also invented pair moves such as the inside death spiral. Tracy Wilson -- Canadian ice dancer; with her partner, the late Rob McCall, she won a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics. Now a TV commentator. F. Ritter Shumway -- president of the USFSA at the time of the 1961 plane crash that killed the entire US world team and coaching staff. He was instrumental in rebuilding the figure skating program in the US and setting up the memorial fund which now provides financial support for nearly all competitive skaters. John Nicks -- former British (and world) pairs champion in the 1950's, now a pairs coach (e.g., of Babilonia and Gardner). Cecilia Colledge -- a British skater who was the 1937 world champion. She was the first woman to execute a double jump (a double salchow) and inventor of the camel and layback spins. Galina Zmievskaya -- coach of Ukrainian skaters Viktor Petrenko and Oksana Baiul (and also Petrenko's mother-in-law). Uschi Keszler -- choreographer for Canadian skaters Bourne & Kraatz and Elvis Stojko. [C.2] Who was the first person to do [various jumps]? Here's a partial listing. single axel -- Axel Paulsen, 1882 (on speed skates!); Sonja Henie, early 1920s single salchow -- Ulrich Salchow, 1909; Theresa Weld, 1920 Olympics (first jump performed in competition by a woman; she was officially reprimanded for attempting anything so "unladylike".) single loop -- Werner Rittberger, 1910 single lutz -- Alois Lutz, 1913 double loop -- Karl Schafer, 1925 (in practice only) double lutz -- Karl Schafer, 1926 (in practice only) double salchow -- Gillis Grafstrom, 1926 (in practice only); Cecelia Colledge, 1937(?) (first double jump by a woman) double axel -- Dick Button, 1948 Olympic games; Carol Heiss, 1956(?) triple loop -- Dick Button, 1952 Olympic games (first triple jump) triple salchow -- Ronnie Robertson, 1955 World championships; (first triple jump by a woman) some sources say Sonja Morgenstern, 1972; others credit Petra Burka or Janet Lynn with having done this jump in the mid-60's. triple lutz -- Donald Jackson, 1962 World championships; Denise Biellman, 1978 triple toe loop -- Thomas Litz, 1964 World championships triple axel -- Vern Taylor, 1978 World championships; Midori Ito, 1988 NHK Trophy quadruple toe loop -- Kurt Browning, 1988 World championships [C.3] When are upcoming competitions? Here are the ones I know about: 1995 Worlds Mar 4-13, 1995 Birmingham, England 1995 Spring Pro-Am Mar 28-29, 1995 Los Angeles, CA 1995 US Olympic Festival Jul 21-30, 1995 Denver, CO 1996 World Juniors Jan 10-12, 1996 Brisbane, Australia 1996 US Nationals Jan 14-21, 1996 San Jose, CA 1996 Europeans Jan 22-28, 1996 Sofia, Bulgaria 1996 Worlds Mar 18-25, 1996 Edmonton, Alberta 1997 World Juniors Nov 25-30, 1996 Seoul, Korea 1997 Europeans Jan 20-26, 1997 Paris, France 1997 US Nationals Feb 8-16, 1997 Nashville, TN 1997 Worlds Mar 17-23, 1997 Lausanne, Switzerland 1998 US Nationals Jan 4-11, 1998 Philadelphia, PA 1998 Olympic Games Feb 7-22, 1998 Nagano, Japan [C.4] How do I get tickets for these competitions? All-event tickets for US Nationals typically cost around $200-400 a set if purchased several months in advance. The phone number for orders for 1996 Nationals is 408-283-2288, and for 1998 Nationals it's 215-396-1998. (1997 tickets are not being offered yet.) For 1995 Worlds, the phone number is 021-780-3920, and for 1996 Worlds it's (403)-451-8000. Information about 1996 Worlds is also available by e-mail from bfletche@epsb.edmonton.ab.ca. There are a couple of travel agencies that specialize in travel packages (including hotel and transportation as well as event tickets) for skating competitions, including those in Europe and Asia. For information, call SkateTours at 703-483-3700 or Silver Blade Tours at 203-721-7670. [C.5] Why didn't [well-known skater] compete at [Skate America | Skate Canada | NHK Cup | etc]? There are several of these "minor" international competitions that take place each fall. They are sponsored by the various national skating organizations in order to provide some additional competition opportunities for their younger skaters, many of whom wouldn't qualify for a "major" international event like the world championships. Established skaters go to these competitions too, to try out new routines or gain more media exposure. But skaters typically only participate in one or two of these competitions each season, and it's unusual for all of the top skaters to show up at any one of them. [C.6] What's the piece of music so-and-so is skating to? Well, I'm not a walking music encyclopedia, but here are some (mostly classical pieces) that I've been able to identify. These are programs from the 1994/95 season. Todd Eldredge short program: music from "Swing Kids" free skate: music from "Gettysburg" Philippe Candeloro short program: music from "The Godfather" free skate: more music from "The Godfather" Elvis Stojko short program: music from "Total Recall" free skate: music from "1492" Alexei Urmanov free skate: "Swan Lake"", by Tchaikovsky Scott Davis short program: music from "Zorba the Greek" free skate: music from "The Untouchables" and "Dick Tracy" Michelle Kwan short program: "Yellow River Piano Concerto" free skate: "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso", by Saint-Saens Nicole Bobek free skate: music from "Doctor Zhivago" Tonia Kwiatkowski short program: "Firebird", by Stravinsky free skate: "Giselle", by Adam; "Paquita", by Minkus; "Barber of Seville", by Rossini Kyoko Ina short program: music from "Miss Saigon" free skate: "Swan Lake", by Tchaikovsky Stiegler & Travis short program: "Caravan", by Duke Ellington free skate: "Six German Dances", by Mozart Shishkova & Naumov free skate: "Symphony #8 (Unfinished)", by Schubert Eltsova & Bushkov free skate: "La Bayadere", by Minkus Ina & Dungjen short program: music from "Swan Lake", by Tchaikovsky free skate: music from "Far and Away" Meno & Sand short program: "Blue Danube", by Strauss free skate: "Nessun Dorma" from "Turandot", by Puccini [C.7] Who are recent [US | world | Olympic | etc] champions? Here are the winners since 1980. They're listed for each year in this order: US; Canadian; European; World; Olympic. Men: 1995: Todd Eldredge; Sebastien Britten; Ilya Kulik 1994: Scott Davis; Elvis Stojko; Viktor Petrenko; Elvis Stojko; Alexei Urmanov 1993: Scott Davis; Kurt Browning; Dmitri Dmitrenko; Kurt Browning 1992: Christopher Bowman; Michael Slipchuk; Petr Barna; Viktor Petrenko; Viktor Petrenko 1991: Todd Eldredge; Kurt Browning; Viktor Petrenko; Kurt Browning 1990: Todd Eldredge; Kurt Browning; Viktor Petrenko; Kurt Browning 1989: Christopher Bowman; Kurt Browning; Alexandr Fadeev; Kurt Browning 1988: Brian Boitano; Brian Orser; Alexandr Fadeev; Brian Boitano; Brian Boitano 1987: Brian Boitano; Brian Orser; Alexandr Fadeev; Brian Orser 1986: Brian Boitano; Brian Orser; Jozef Sabovcik; Brian Boitano 1985: Brian Boitano; Brian Orser; Jozef Sabovcik; Alexandr Fadeev 1984: Scott Hamilton; Brian Orser; Alexandr Fadeev; Scott Hamilton; Scott Hamilton 1983: Scott Hamilton; Brian Orser; Norbert Schramm; Scott Hamilton 1982: Scott Hamilton; Brian Orser; Norbert Schramm; Scott Hamilton 1981: Scott Hamilton; Brian Orser; Igor Bobrin; Scott Hamilton 1980: Charles Tickner; Brian Pockar; Robin Cousins; Jan Hoffmann; Robin Cousins Ladies: 1995: Nicole Bobek; Netty Kim; Surya Bonaly 1994: (title vacant); Josee Chouinard; Surya Bonaly; Yuka Sato; Oksana Baiul 1993: Nancy Kerrigan; Josee Chouinard; Surya Bonaly; Oksana Baiul 1992: Kristi Yamaguchi; Karen Preston; Surya Bonaly; Kristi Yamaguchi; Kristi Yamaguchi 1991: Tonya Harding; Josee Chouinard; Surya Bonaly; Kristi Yamaguchi 1990: Jill Trenary; Lisa Sargeant; Evelyn Grossmann; Jill Trenary 1989: Jill Trenary; Karen Preston; Claudia Leistner; Midori Ito 1988: Debi Thomas; Elizabeth Manley; Katarina Witt; Katarina Witt; Katarina Witt 1987: Jill Trenary; Elizabeth Manley; Katarina Witt; Katarina Witt 1986: Debi Thomas; Tracey Wainman; Katarina Witt; Debi Thomas 1985: Tiffany Chin; Elizabeth Manley; Katarina Witt; Katarina Witt 1984: Rosalynn Sumners; Kay Thomson; Katarina Witt; Katarina Witt; Katarina Witt 1983: Rosalynn Sumners; Kay Thomson; Katarina Witt; Rosalynn Sumners 1982: Rosalynn Sumners; Kay Thomson; Claudia Kristofics-Binder; Elaine Zayak 1981: Elaine Zayak; Tracey Wainman; Denise Biellman; Denise Biellman 1980: Linda Fratianne; Heather Kemkaran; Annett Poetzsch; Anett Poetzsch; Anett Poetzsch Pairs: 1995: Meno & Sand; Menzies & Bombardier; Woetzel & Steuer 1994: Meno & Sand; Brasseur & Eisler; Gordeeva & Grinkov; Shishkova & Naumov; Gordeeva & Grinkov 1993: Urbanski & Marval; Brasseur & Eisler; Eltsova & Bushkov; Brasseur & Eisler 1992: Urbanski & Marval; Brasseur & Eisler; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev 1991: Kuchiki & Sand; Brasseur & Eisler; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev 1990: Yamaguchi & Galindo; Landry & Johnston; Gordeeva & Grinkov; Gordeeva & Grinkov 1989: Yamaguchi & Galindo; Brasseur & Eisler; Selezneva & Makarov; Gordeeva & Grinkov 1988: Watson & Oppegard; Hough & Ladret; Gordeeva & Grinkov; Valova & Vasiliev; Gordeeva & Grinkov 1987: Watson & Oppegard; Coull & Rowsom; Selezneva & Makarov; Gordeeva & Grinkov 1986: Wachsman & Waggoner; Coull & Rowsom; Valova & Vasiliev; Gordeeva & Grinkov 1985: Watson & Oppegard; Coull & Rowsom; Valova & Vasiliev; Valova & Vasiliev 1984: Carruthers & Carruthers; Matousek & Eisler; Valova & Vasiliev; Underhill & Martini; Valova & Vasiliev 1983: Carruthers & Carruthers; Underhill & Martini; Baess & Thierbach; Valova & Vasiliev 1982: Carruthers & Carruthers; Underhill & Martini; Baess & Thierbach; Baess & Thierbach 1981: Carruthers & Carruthers; Underhill & Martini; Vorobieva & Lisovsky; Vorobieva & Lisovsky 1980: Babilonia & Gardner; Underhill & Martini; Rodnina & Zaitsev; Cherkasova & Shakhrai; Rodnina & Zaitsev Dance: 1995: Roca & Sur; Bourne & Kraatz; Rahkomo & Kokko 1994: Punsalan & Swallow; Bourne & Kraatz; Torvill & Dean; Grischuk & Platov; Grischuk & Platov 1993: Roca & Sur; Bourne & Kraatz; Usova & Zhulin; Usova & Zhulin 1992: Sargent-Thomas & Witherby; Petr & Janoschak; Klimova & Ponomarenko; Klimova & Ponomarenko; Klimova & Ponomarenko 1991: Punsalan & Swallow; McDonald & Smith; Klimova & Ponomarenko; Duchesnay & Duchesnay 1990: Wynne & Druar; Borlase & Smith; Klimova & Ponomarenko; Klimova & Ponomarenko 1989: Wynne & Druar; Garossini & Garossino; Klimova & Ponomarenko; Klimova & Ponomarenko 1988: Semanick & Gregory; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin; Bestemianova & Bukin; Bestemianova & Bukin 1987: Semanick & Gregory; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin; Bestemianova & Bukin 1986: Roca & Adair; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin; Bestemianova & Bukin 1985: Blumberg & Seibert; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin; Bestemianova & Bukin 1984: Blumberg & Seibert; Wilson & McCall; Torvill & Dean; Torvill & Dean; Torvill & Dean 1983: Blumberg & Seibert; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin; Torvill & Dean 1982: Blumberg & Seibert; Wilson & McCall; Torvill & Dean; Torvill & Dean 1981: Blumberg & Seibert; McNeil & McCall; Torvill & Dean; Torvill & Dean 1980: Smith & Summers; Wighton & Dowding; Linichuk & Karponosov; Regoeczy & Sallay; Linichuk & Karponosov [C.8] How do I send fan mail to my favorite skater? Your best bet is send it to them in care of the rink or skating club where they train, or their national skating federation. The USFSA (or CFSA, for Canadians) may be helpful in providing addresses and/or forwarding mail. The PGSA represents many pro skaters. USFSA: 20 First Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 voice (719)-635-5200, fax (719)-635-9548 CFSA: 1600 James Naismith Dr., Gloucester, ON K1B 9Z9 voice (613)-748-5635, fax (613)-748-5718 PGSA: PO Box 5904, Rochester, MN 55903 voice (507)-281-5122 [C.9] Whatever happened to [some competitor from N years ago]? Debi Thomas retired from professional skating in 1992 in order to attend medical school at Northwestern University. Barb Underhill has retired (at least temporarily) in order to raise a family. (One of her baby daughters died in a drowning accident in 1993.) Paul Martini and his wife have had a baby, too. Kitty & Peter Carruthers have also retired from touring in order to concentrate on family life. Janet Lynn retired from skating many years ago and is married with a number of children. Dorothy Hamill has announced her retirement as a performer but is still involved with Ice Capades as an artistic director. Tonya Harding is still skating in the Portland area but has not been invited to participate in any professional competitions or shows. Midori Ito performs professionally with an ice show in Japan but only rarely appears outside of that country. Christopher Bowman left Ice Capades when it was bought by Dorothy Hamill, and is now working as a coach in the Boston area. Linda Fratianne, Holly Cook, Tiffany Chin, Peter Oppegard, and Irina Rodnina are also working as coaches. Michael Seibert is a choreographer, and Judy Blumberg is skating professionally with a new partner. Jojo Starbuck is a coach, and Ken Shelley is a judge. John Curry died of AIDS in 1994. Canadian skaters Brian Pockar and Rob McCall have also died of AIDS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [PART D] REFERENCES =================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [D.1] Are there any good books about figure skating? A recommended book about the technical aspects of figure skating is John Misha Petkevich's "Figure Skating: Championship Techniques" (ISBN 0-452-26209-7), published by Sports Illustrated and available in many bookstores. It's a trade-sized paperback, and features photos of Brian Boitano. The USFSA rulebook includes complete competition and eligibility rules, diagrams of compulsory figures and dances, and a directory of participating clubs. It comes in a small-sized loose-leaf binder and costs about $10. It's updated yearly, in the fall. You can order a copy directly from the USFSA, at: 20 First Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 (719)-635-5200 You might also be able to buy a copy through your local skating club or pro shop. Beverly Smith's book "Figure Skating: A Celebration" (McClelland & Stewart, ISBN 0-7710-2819-9) is an excellent source of information about the history of the sport. It's a large hardcover book, featuring many photographs of famous skaters. [D.2] What about magazines? Here is a list of periodicals which deal with skating. (Disclaimer: this isn't intended as a commercial endorsement of any of these publications. Also, you might want to double-check the subscription rates, since they may have changed since this information was collected.) SKATING 20 FIRST STREET COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO 80906-3697 719-635-5200 12 ISSUES/YEAR $25/US Official magazine of the United States Figure Skating Association. Gossipy profiles of skaters, competition and tour reports, etc. It includes 6 issues of a bimonthly magazine and 6 issues of a bimonthly newsletter. THE PROFESSIONAL SKATER P.O. BOX 5904 ROCHESTER, MINN 55903 6 ISSUES/YEAR $19.95/US, $29(USD)/CANADA, $45(USD)/FOREIGN Newsletter of the Professional Skaters Guild of America. Basically has articles of interest to coaches, etc. Black/White photographs. PATINAGE MAGAZINE 39 BLD DE LA MARNE F-76000 ROUEN FRANCE 5 ISSUES/YEAR $30/US, $32(CANADIAN)/CANADA Published in French w/ English translations. The writing and/or translations leave a lot to be desired, but it does have fabulous photography. TRACINGS 21 WEYBOSSET ST. WEYMOUTH, MA 02191 8 ISSUES/YEAR $18/US, $21/CANADA & OVERSEAS PUBLISHED BY THE NEW ENGLAND INTER-CLUB COUNCIL Features Black/White photographs, New England amateur skaters; but also has articles on professional skaters, reviews of pro competitions and ice shows. BLADES ON ICE 7040 N. MONA LISA ROAD TUCSON, ARIZONA 85741 PHONE: 602-575-1747 FAX: 602-575-1484 6 ISSUES/YEAR $25/US, $34(USD)/CANADA, $45(USD)/EUROPE, $50(USD) OTHER COUNTRIES AMERICAN SKATING WORLD 1816 BROWNSVILLE ROAD PITTSBURGH, PA 15210-3908 12 ISSUES/YEAR $19.95/US, $29.95(USD)/FOREIGN AIR MAIL: $38.95(USD)/CANADA, $63.95(USD)/OTHER COUNTRIES This is sort of a monthly skating newspaper--it is printed on newstock. TODAY'S SKATER CANADIAN FIGURE SKATING ASSOCIATION 1600 JAMES NAISMITH DR. GLOUCESTER, ONTARIO K1B 9Z9 CANADA Apparently only one issue/year. The CFSA also has a very nice catalog with instructional videos, books, and other skating paraphernalia. SKATER'S EDGE BOX 500 KENSINGTON, MARYLAND 20895 5 ISSUES/YEAR $15/US, $20(USD)/CANADA, $25(USD)/EUROPE This is a newsletter (or small magazine if you prefer) of about 12 pages. It is devoted to technique -- NO GOSSIP about skaters. The articles and skating tips come from established coaches and famous skaters. INTERNATIONAL FIGURE SKATING SUBSCRIPTION DEPARTMENT 55 IDEAL ROAD WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 01604 8 ISSUES/YEAR US: $25, CANADA: $34(USD), INTERNATIONAL: $45(USD) This magazine is available on newsstands as well as by subscription. It's a mix of (often old) news and profiles, with some information about the sport from a business perspective. [D.3] Are there any other figure skating resources on the net? There are some pictures of skaters available by anonymous FTP from ftp.sunet.se, in directory /pub/pictures/sports/skating. There is another FTP archive of skating pictures at haskell.cs.yale.edu, in directory /pub/sjl/www/skate-images. The sunet collection is mirrored here, and there are many other images, too. There is also an FTP archive of various informational articles from rec.skate and the skating mailing list at haskell.cs.yale.edu in directory /pub/sjl/www/skate. I keep the latest copy of this FAQ list there, but I don't maintain the other files and they may not be up-to-date. If you have access to a WWW client such as NCSA Mosaic, you can get to the figure skating home page at URL http://www.cs.yale.edu/HTML/YALE/CS/HyPlans/loosemore-sandra/skate.html This page contains links to the above FTP areas, the hypertext version of this FAQ list, and some other skating-related material on the net. You can subscribe to an electronic mailing list for discussing figure skating by sending mail to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu that contains a single line like this in the message body: subscribe skaters [D.4] Who wrote this FAQ list? My name is Sandra Loosemore. I've followed the sport for many years, although I've never been more than a recreational skater myself. Some of the information in the post is taken from the USFSA rulebook. I also incorporated suggestions from Helena Robinson, Fred Chapman, Ann Schmidt, Mary Kolencik, and Stephen Kawalko. Janet Pooley sent me the list of European champions, and Fiona McQuarrie supplied the list of Canadian champions. The information about magazines was provided by Deborah Reed-Margetan.