Why is it important to consider the height of the jump? | Golden Skate

Why is it important to consider the height of the jump?

LeeJiHye19

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 17, 2014
I noticed that in this WC tv the screen show the height and speed of each jump but why that’s important? Isn’t it enough for the skater to lnd the jump smoothly with falling?
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
There is definitely more to a good jump than just size.

All else being equal, bigger height and distance would represent better technique in being able to generate that size and also to control it.

But sex, age, skater size, and body type also contribute to the size of a jump in ways that skaters can't directly control, so even size alone doesn't by itself indicate who has better technique.

Height and distance and speed are measurable quantities, however, unlike some of the more subjectively perceived and interpreted aspects of jump quality. So they may be of interest to people who are interested in the objective, quantifiable aspects of the sport.

Right now "very good height and distance" is one out of six positive bullet points that judges are supposed to reward skaters for, at the discretion of each judge.

Maybe in the next few years the ISU will figure out a way to incorporate the actual measurements into the scoring somehow. Hopefully without losing the value of all the other qualities that make jumps good or not so good.
 

figureskaterdude

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 9, 2017
I noticed that in this WC tv the screen show the height and speed of each jump but why that’s important? Isn’t it enough for the skater to lnd the jump smoothly with falling?

For the purpose of landing a jump, height is important because its one of only 2 ways to "gain" rotation.

As an example: If you want to be able to go from doing a double axel to a triple axel, you have these options. Increase height so you have more time to add an extra revolution, increase rotation speed (and/or start rotating sooner) so you can complete the jump faster and have more time to add an extra revolution, or a combination of both!

When people say they need or want better jump technique, or that they went to a coach that "fixed" their jump technique so they can now do X jump, it just means that they either improved their height, rotation speed, or a combination of both through various different ways.
 

sandraskates

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
There is definitely more to a good jump than just size.

Maybe in the next few years the ISU will figure out a way to incorporate the actual measurements into the scoring somehow. Hopefully without losing the value of all the other qualities that make jumps good or not so good.

I'm thinking that this will move figure skating into more of a jump-fest than it has already become. :laugh:

I have been watching some 2019 World's feeds and that side bar with the skater's jump measurements and jump bell curve on the slo-mo replay is very cool!
 

labgoat

I have no words
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Country
United-States
It is ironic that skating may one day be judged more by what happens in the air than on the ice.
 

vlaurend

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
I'm thinking that this will move figure skating into more of a jump-fest than it has already become. :laugh:

Everyone is always afraid of that, and then the ISU keeps making sure it doesn't happen by reducing the number of different quads skaters can do, taking away the incentive for doing all jumps in the second half, increasing the penalties for falls on jumps, etc. etc.

I think the purpose of this little display showing each jump's height and distance is to engage viewers more. I love it because it provides such great perspective on what we're seeing on the screen!
 

hanyuufan5

✨**:。*
Medalist
Joined
May 19, 2018
Everyone is always afraid of that, and then the ISU keeps making sure it doesn't happen by reducing the number of different quads skaters can do, taking away the incentive for doing all jumps in the second half, increasing the penalties for falls on jumps, etc. etc.

I think the purpose of this little display showing each jump's height and distance is to engage viewers more. I love it because it provides such great perspective on what we're seeing on the screen!

Yeah, I think it's mostly for fun. I never saw any implication in those displays that any of the jumps were better than any of the others. They didn't even list the GOE.

Anyway, as someone who understands how those calculations work, they sure engage me! I've been too busy to try it yet, but I definitely want to double-check them by hand just to keep my physics skills sharp. :biggrin:
 
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