In our second guide for the perplexed this off-season, a review of the major rule changes and revisions impacting your favorite sport and ours.
1. New Junior Age Limits Revoked
A measure passed at the 2012 ISU Congress called for the upper age limits for junior pairs and dance men to be lowered from 21 (as of July 1 before the coming season) to 20 beginning with the 2014-15 season. This change, unpopular among many for various reasons–such as the challenges it could pose for pairs, given the not infrequent match-ups of girls on the lower range of age limits with older, stronger male partners–was overturned at this year’s Congress, meaning a number of international junior teams with partners on the cusp can remain junior for one more season.
See: Communication 1874, 1875
2. Ice Dance
A. Footwork
This year’s senior short dance, based on the Paso Doble pattern, will also mark the introduction (also limited to seniors) of the choreographed partial step sequence, skated immediately following the Paso pattern and set to the same music, integrating key points. And as in a compulsory pattern, hand-in-hand hold and separations to change hold are barred. Also in the senior short dance, the circular no-touch step sequence permitted in recent seasons is no longer an option.
In the free dance, the first step sequence is now classified as “Level A.” This includes a stated requirement of nine difficult turns, a steep rise from the previously mandated four; previously, however, additional difficult turns could be incorporated as one option to meet the level 4 requirement of approximately 75% of the sequence being considered difficult. Thus, for elite teams the difference may not be as dramatic. Appropriately, the second sequence is classified as “Level B,” this one requiring at base four to five difficult turns and one additional change of hold, and allowing one retrogression.
B. Lifts
The most dramatic change to this element is surely the removal of one required lift from the free dance, which for seniors previously called for four short lifts, or two short lifts and one long lift–three short or one short + long for juniors–and one un-leveled choreographic lift. Seniors are now limited to three short, or one short and one long (combination) lift, and juniors one short lift fewer than that. What’s more, both groups may also opt out of the choreographic lift: that final bonus element may be replaced by a choreographic spin movement instead–which nets a higher base value than the lift.
But those long lifts discussed in the initial Communication 1857 will also be known by a new name: the old serpentine and reverse rotational lifts, comparatively rare as they were, have now been subsumed by that more popular category of “combination lift,” with the ISU defining them as a combined set of rotationals (moving in reverse directions) and set of curve lifts (creating a serpentine pattern). This has little significance in practical skating terms, but is certainly pertinent for those writing and analyzing the sport.
At the micro level, new requirements for poses and positions include the introduction of a continuous change of pose option, besides that of two distinct poses with a change in between. A few changes have also increased required difficulty for use of certain common features to achieve a level 4: a doughnut or haircutter position only constitutes a difficult pose if combined with difficult hold, while tighter restrictions have been imposed on the use of a spread eagle for the lifting partner as a difficult position or entry feature.
C. Twizzles
To achieve a level 4, teams will now be required to incorporate one feature assessed as a “Difficult Feature” – variations which previously existed, but were wholly optional under the basic (and continuing) system of matching one feature apiece from Groups A, B, and C. These variations include twizzles executed with face raised to the ceiling, with the level of the skating leg changed in a continuous motion, and with partners crossing a pattern at least once during rotations.
D. Scoring
While program component requirements remain mostly unchanged, skating very close together has been added to characteristics in the category of Performance/Execution and free dance “dance mood” to Interpretation/Timing.
In the technical category, base value for all free dance and most short dance elements has been raised slightly, with the new perfect senior short dance score 82.20, up from 81.00, and 120.6 or 120.9, up from 119.5, for the free dance. And though base value for the pattern dance (and partial step sequence) has been reduced from 7 to 6, an increased Grade of Execution value for all elements still minimizes the impact of that decrease.
See: Communication 1857, 1860, 1868, 1875, 1885
3. Pairs
A. Programs
Most major changes in this discipline come to the free skate, with the removal of the 1.1 special factor bonus for throw jumps, jump elements, lifts and twist lifts executed in the program’s second half. However, the choreographic sequence now permits the inclusion of jumps up to two revolutions, though no longer allows twizzles. While the lift maximum remains three for senior teams (two for juniors), they may not all come from the Group 5 category.
In the short program, junior teams may execute either a double or triple twist.
B. Elements
Among assorted updates and clarifications, solo spins now call for “difficult variations” to the previous 1 variation, with options revised to include difficult entrance into a spin and difficult change of position on the same foot. For the death spiral, a change of arm hold is allowed but no longer recognized for level purposes, while in the pairs spin, both partners must move through all three basic positions to receive full base value.
Additionally, a “lesser base value” has been introduced, with flip and lutz jumps further divided into “V1” and “V2” marking options. Base value is largely unchanged from last season, though a double flip has increased in value from 1.8 to 1.9.
See: Communication 1861, 1874, 1884
4. Starting Position
Skaters across all disciplines are now permitted only 30 seconds after the announcement of their names to take their starting position before each segment, a significant decrease from the previously permitted 60 seconds; the first skaters in a warm-up group are granted an additional 30 seconds after being called to the start. A 1-point deduction will be given to any skaters exceeding the 30 second maximum, and after the passage of 60 seconds, skaters will be considered withdrawn.
See: Communication 1874, 1875
5. Challenger Series
Finally, the ISU has introduced the “Challenger Series,” incorporating existing and new Senior B events in an 11-competition series essentially intended to provide both experience for skaters and officials and, primarily, ISU World Ranking points for competitors, with events in this series offering more than those in “regular” international events. Success in multiple events goes towards a final series ranking, the top finishers of which will receive additional prize money. Skaters can participate in a maximum of three events in the series, which includes both the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic in Salt Lake City and the new Autumn Classic International in Barrie, Ontario.
See: Communication 1858, 1876