Half Loop-Triple combo - Which is the correct way?

[Meoima]

So recently I have been looking at the half loop combos and I have just noticed this. In the 1/2 loop-triple combos, some skaters "turn over" (or Dick Button would call it a "step out") in the half loop with the right edge pointing upward, but some skaters point it downward. I would like to ask which is the correct way? Is there any definition of this?

a) The upward group:

Jason Brown at WC 2017
https://youtu.be/SXjNKEK0x8Q?t=4m33s
Here is the screenshot: http://imgur.com/Dc1ZKzp

Mikhail Kolyada at WTT 2017
https://youtu.be/DgfYFGU2tq0?t=3m54s
Screenshot: http://imgur.com/tEiuNEX

Yuzuru Hanyu
https://youtu.be/yZxDCfgVfTc?t=3m55s
And screenshot: http://imgur.com/alijaju
or here, when he does the 3A1lo3S in practice, you see his toe pointed upward: https://www.instagram.com/p/BNL5ctuAzB7/

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b) The downward group:
Maria Sotskova at WC 2017
https://youtu.be/yienT1mXc-0?t=3m3s
And screenshot: http://imgur.com/wggtLyG

Shoma Uno at WC 2017
Here is the screenshot: http://imgur.com/2aBDd3v

Anna Pogorilaya at WC 2017
https://youtu.be/0qgzP5hfl0Et=?3m54s
Here is the screenshot: http://imgur.com/CNvxXOR

In this 1/2loop combo, there are others who point it upwards (like Javi) and downward (like Boyang) but I do not take screenshots of them all.

Per my understanding from this: https://info.skatecanada.ca/hc/en-c...Figure-Skating-Terms-Defined-2-0-Free-Skating

Half loop in the half loop combo should have take-off and landing on the edge. But again, it might be just my understanding?

I hope @gkelly will show me the way!

Thanks in advance.

 

[gkelly]

I can't tell much from those screenshots.

As I understand:

The takeoff of a half loop must be from the back outside edge, and the landing should be the back inside edge of the other foot, after approximately one full rotation.

Tech panels consider the half-loop as a single loop with an opposite-foot landing and do review these single jumps for full rotation: underrotation and downgrade calls are not uncommon.

Like all jumps, the toe/front of the blade is generally last to leave the ice and first to touch down on landing. This would only be an issue if the skater is rotating significantly on the toepick, resulting in insufficient rotation in the air.

Beyond those requirements, there are no rules I'm aware of requiring any specific position of the free foot on the ice or in the air for any part of any jump. As long as the takeoff and landing edges are correct, the jump correctly meets its definition and receives full base value.

In terms of judges' GOEs, there is a GOE reduction for "Poor speed, height, distance, air position" so judges have the option to reduce the GOE -1 to -2 if they think the air position shows a lack of control, or maybe even if they just find it ugly.

And of course there will also be GOE reductions for underrotation/downgrades.

But there's nothing specifically "right" or "wrong" about the angle of the free foot in the air on a half loop, any more than there is about the angle of the free foot on a salchow takeoff, which is probably related to its position in the half loop in many cases. I would certainly expect different positions of the free foot on a half loop landing depending whether the following jump is going to be a salchow or a flip.

 

[bardtoob]

I don't know if any standard has been established by now, but back in 1980 it was somewhat of a novelty that Frank Carroll had taught Linda Fratianne to point her toes up when she jumped.

 

[CoolGuy]

All I know is that I wish more skaters would do their half-loop like Surya Bonaly, which I believe is the best half-loop, man or woman, bar none:
https://youtu.be/NL2Jlg-O_lU?t=57