ISU Communication 2334 - season 2020/21 Single & Pair Skating Levels of Difficulty & Guidelines for marking GOE

[Sylvia]

08 July 2020
Levels of Difficulty and Guidelines for marking Grade of Execution in Single and Pair Skating, season 2020/21.
(The following Communication replaces Communication No. 2254)
Link (12 pages): https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/rules/fsk-communications/24665-isu-communication-2334/file

 

[thvu]

They’re keeping in the q for jumps.

 

[Sylvia]

Excerpts from Hersh's latest blog post: http://www.globetrottingbyphilipher...s-i-stumbled-upon-that-needle-in-the-haystack

One change that has remained from 2324 to 2334 involves the new “q” score, designed to penalize jumps under-rotate by one-quarter turn or less for grade of execution rather than base value.
Italy’s Fabio Bianchetti, chair of the ISU’s singles and pairs technical committee, had explained the “q” idea to me by saying it would spare the technical panel from choosing between calling a jump either under rotated or fully rotated when the jump is one-quarter rotation short.
Calling these “borderline cases” under rotated, he noted, would bring deductions in both base value and grade of execution that could amount to five points on high-value jumps – and the three-person technical panel often is split on which call to make.

Lakernik, for whose consistently generous help I am very grateful, said the net effect of the latest version on marking GOE was, ”All things that pushed the skaters to learn something new were deleted, so skaters can have the same (GOE) level as before with the same abilities.”
Of course, this whole discussion about determining precise rotation amounts to little more than a reductio ad absurdum, given the minimal evidence available (one camera angle) and the difficulty of pinpointing the precise point of takeoffs and landings, especially with the limited time allocated for technical panel reviews.
And, much as the intent to quantify everything to the millimeter in the interest of fairness is admirable, it makes the sport less and less comprehensible and attractive to fans, even those with extensive skating experience and computer chips in the occipital lobe of the brain.

 

[aftershocks]

Phil Hersh's take after thanking Lakernik for conversing with him on details of ISU Communication 2334, which replaces 2254:

"... much as the intent to quantify everything to the millimeter in the interest of fairness is admirable, it makes the sport less and less comprehensible and attractive to fans, even those with extensive skating experience and computer chips in the occipital lobe of the brain."



Ya don't say! Why did it take the ISU so long to figure this out I wonder.

 

[acraven]

Lakernik on details of ISU Communication 2334, which replaces 2254:

"... much as the intent to quantify everything to the millimeter in the interest of fairness is admirable, it makes the sport less and less comprehensible and attractive to fans, even those with extensive skating experience and computer chips in the occipital lobe of the brain."



Ya don't say! Why did it take them so long to figure this out I wonder.

That quote is from Phil Hersh, not Lakernik.

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Right, it was Phil Hersh's observation based on his conversations with Lakernik who actually said:

”All things that pushed the skaters to learn something new were deleted, so skaters can have the same (GOE) level as before with the same abilities.”

Ya don't say!

Bottom line: It takes the ISU so long to figure anything out, even things that should be obvious. They always end up having to make new rules to fix old rules that were in place to fix previous rules, etc, etc, and so on and so on, ad infinitum.

But thanks @acraven, I slightly modified my previous post for better accuracy, which doesn't materially change the thrust of my response.

 

[MAXSwagg]

The ISU is just so clueless, especially about their OWN judging system. How is that even possible?

 

[Sylvia]

Posted on the ISU website on July 27, 2020:

ISU Technical Panel Handbook Single Skating 2020/2021 (23 pages): https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/.../24781-tphb-single-skating-2020-21-final/file

ISU Technical Panel Handbook Pair Skating 2020/2021 (30 pages): https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/...0-tp-handbook-pair-skating-2020-21-final/file

 

[rosewood]

@Sylvia I can't see the communication for singles. (404 error)

 

[Sylvia]

How about now @rosewood?

 

[rosewood]

How about now @rosewood?

Now I can open the link. Thanks!

 

[gkelly]

A simple guide to the changes for Season 2020/21 by the Singles and Pair Technical Committee

Power point with video examples

 

[Sylvia]

From the JUMPS section on page 3 of ISU Communication 2334 (July 8, 2020): https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/rules/fsk-communications/24665-isu-communication-2334/file

Jumps with missing rotation:
Downgraded (<<): Missing rotation of half a revolution or more.
Underrotated (<): Missing rotation of more than a quarter revolution but less than half a revolution. The jump will receive 80% of the base value and Judges will reduce GOE.
Landed on the quarter (q): Technical panel will indicate this with a sign “q”. The jump will receive full base value and Judges will reduce GOE.

 

[Sylvia]

... the arm over the head hasn't been a GOE bulletpoint for 2 years now.

Thanks to @alchemy void for the reminder - refer to the Jump Elements section copied below from page 8 of ISU Communication No. 2334:

II. Updated Guidelines for marking +GOE of Single/Pair Elements (positive aspects)

These guidelines are tools to be used together with the minus GOE charts. The final GOE of a performed
element is based on the combination of both positive and negative aspects. It is important that the final GOE
of an element reflects the positive aspects, as well as any possible reductions that may apply.
The final GOE of an element is calculated considering first the positive aspects of the element that result in
a starting GOE for the evaluation. Following that a Judge reduces the GOE according to the guidelines of
possible errors and the result is the final GOE of the element.
To establish the starting GOE Judges must take into consideration the bullets for each element.
General recommendations are as follows:

FOR + 1 : 1 bullet
FOR + 2 : 2 bullets
FOR + 3 : 3 bullets
FOR + 4 : 4 bullets
FOR + 5 : 5 or more bullets

FOR + 4 and +5 THE FIRST THREE bullets highlighted in bold must be present

Singles

Jump Elements
1) very good height and very good length (of all jumps in a combo or sequence)
2) good take-off and landing
3) effortless throughout (including rhythm in Jump combination)
4) steps before the jump, unexpected or creative entry
5) very good body position from take-off to landing
6) element matches the music

Spins
1) good speed and/or acceleration during spin
2) good controlled, clear position(s) (inc. height and air/landing position in flying spin)
3) effortless throughout
4) maintaining a centered spin
5) creativity and/or originality
6) element matches the music

Step Sequences
1) deep edges, clean steps and turns
2) element matches the music
3) effortless throughout with good energy, flow and execution
4) creativity and/or originality
5) excellent commitment and control of the whole body
6) good acceleration and deceleration

Choreographic Sequences
1) creativity and/or originality
2) element matches the music and reflects the concept/character of the program
3) effortless throughout with good energy, flow and execution
4) good ice coverage or interesting pattern
5) good clarity and precision
6) excellent commitment and control of the whole body