Skating onto the ice and Opening Poses

[AxelAnnie]

When the skater(s) skates away from the boards, they skate around the ice. I assume they are thinking about their trainer's last words, and what they need to concentrate on (probably everything). I assume that is individual to each skater.

I also assume there is a certain amount of time they have. Is there a clock going somewhere that they can refer to, or do they just know?

The thing that really intrigues me is getting into that opening pose and the music starting. There seems to be quite a variance on how long between the pose and the music starting. So, what is the secret? How is it communicated to the sound guy? Do skaters have a tape that they bring, so they know they have 10 seconds or whatever it is?

Obviously I need to get a life that has more important things to think about.

 

[BittyBug]

The current rules allow 30 seconds from when a skater’s name is called to when the music must start. If the skater has not taken their starting pose within 30 seconds, there is a deduction.

There is a clock on the Jumbotron. If you see skaters looking up while they’re approaching center ice to take their pose, they’re usually checking the time.

The music official will wait until the skater is in their pose and still before starting. There is no formal communication but it’s pretty obvious when the skater is or isn’t ready.

 

[Skate Talker]

Fyi - it used to be they were allowed a full minute. Many skaters would start well before that but there were a few who would use up every last second skating in circles and appearing to be praying for divine intervention. The 30 second rule is one of the best changes ever made imho.

 

[skylark]

Fyi - it used to be they were allowed a full minute. Many skaters would start well before that but there were a few who would use up every last second skating in circles and appearing to be praying for divine intervention. The 30 second rule is one of the best changes ever made imho.

So true! There was one US nationals when Jeremy Abbott, who usually took up most of his full minute, apparently lost track, and the audience started counting down the seconds from about 10, and he rushed to the center; otherwise he wouldn't have made it.

I know it's an international ruling, but I always wondered if that event prompted the rule change to 30 seconds.

 

[skylark]

When the skater(s) skates away from the boards, they skate around the ice. I assume they are thinking about their trainer's last words, and what they need to concentrate on (probably everything). I assume that is individual to each skater.

Ashley Wagner said once that that was the worst moment for her. She said that all sorts of useless things would go through her head, such as why do I put myself through this, and ... why did my mom make me go to skating lessons when I was five years old? Then, she'd skate to her spot and begin.

When I watch Gordeeva and Grinkov's competitions, I've noticed that they stood at the boards until their names were announced, raised their hands together, smiled, and skated directly out to their starting position. Ready, set, go.

 

[mjb52]

Sometimes I wish we had the mega melodramatic entrances they do in synchronized swimming but I know if we actually did, I would probably regret wishing for it and it would mostly get old pretty quickly. That stuff is a good time in the context of synchronized swimming though.

 

[Karen-W]

Sometimes I wish we had the mega melodramatic entrances they do in synchronized swimming but I know if we actually did, I would probably regret wishing for it and it would mostly get old pretty quickly. That stuff is a good time in the context of synchronized swimming though.

Because the show lights and skater introductions at the start of each flight isn't melodramatic enough?

 

[mjb52]

Because the show lights and skater introductions at the start of each flight isn't melodramatic enough?

I mean it's ok but it's not this: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2231283836929246 And that's just the first thing I found that looked fun with a quick search, I'm pretty sure there's way more over-the-top stuff out there.

 

[gkelly]

Fyi - it used to be they were allowed a full minute.

And before that, it was 2 minutes. But it was changed to 1 early in the IJS era, since the skaters skating second and later in each group generally had plenty of time to stroke around empty ice before being called while the tech panel reviews the previous skaters' elements.

Ice dancers tend to make more of a choreographed entrance.

 

[screech]

When I watch Gordeeva and Grinkov's competitions, I've noticed that they stood at the boards until their names were announced, raised their hands together, smiled, and skated directly out to their starting position. Ready, set, go.

This is my preference (and what I used to do as a competitor). Though I know why they do it, I'm not a fan of seeing the skaters practice the entries to their jumps or their air position during that time.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Ashley Wagner said once that that was the worst moment for her. She said that all sorts of useless things would go through her head, such as why do I put myself through this, and ... why did my mom make me go to skating lessons when I was five years old? Then, she'd skate to her spot and begin.

When I watch Gordeeva and Grinkov's competitions, I've noticed that they stood at the boards until their names were announced, raised their hands together, smiled, and skated directly out to their starting position. Ready, set, go.

Thanks. Tara has said that when she skated onto the ice, she just wanted to skate right back and exit the rink. She also added that her legs were shaking so badly at Nagano she could not believe people did not notice.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I mean it's ok but it's not this: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2231283836929246 And that's just the first thing I found that looked fun with a quick search, I'm pretty sure there's way more over-the-top stuff out there.

WOAH - that was quite something! And, kind of scary.

 

[zigzig]

Didn't Svetlana Khorkina hold a press conference to announce that her three year old floor routine had a new ending pose?

 

[skateboy]

This is the opposite of opening poses, but I miss the way the past skaters used to go into their bows, right after their final pose (as opposed to skating around with their hands on their hips for 20 seconds, only to finally acknowledge applause after it's already stopped). Dorothy Hamill is an example from the past (ending is queued up): https://youtu.be/5x83NDU5BnM?t=244

 

[sadya]

Speaking about ending poses, I wish skaters would hold their final poses for a few seconds before losing the character of the program. I understand a skater might be excited or sad, but the ending pose is part of the program and sometimes it's over and done in less than a second.

I remember an interview of Baiul ,or perhaps I read it in her book, about taking her time to skate and not wanting to rust to her start.

 

[AxelAnnie]

This is the opposite of opening poses, but I miss the way the past skaters used to go into their bows, right after their final pose (as opposed to skating around with their hands on their hips for 20 seconds, only to finally acknowledge applause after it's already stopped). Dorothy Hamill is an example from the past (ending is queued up): https://youtu.be/5x83NDU5BnM?t=244

Thanks for that. Couldn't agree more. Review your program later and acknowledge those who are applauding for you.

Can you image the star of a play doing that kind of nonesence?

 

[overedge]

Because the show lights and skater introductions at the start of each flight isn't melodramatic enough?

This is something that should be gotten rid of ASAP. It's a competition, not Stars On Ice.