When is a fall a "fall" for scoring purposes in IJS? | Golden Skate

When is a fall a "fall" for scoring purposes in IJS?

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
I ask because I was reviewing the score sheets from a recent competition and I had noted in my head that a certain skater had fallen 4 times yet only 3 falls were noted and deducted. I went back and watched the video with the score sheet on hand and it turns out that where I saw a "fall" on a specific jump, it was not noted as one by the judges. It looks like when the skater landed, he kind of barrel-rolled out of it and ended up crouching on both feet with one hand on the ice behind him. Both blades were in contact with the ice at that point and only his one hand was on the ice. I noted on the score sheet the very negative GOE but no deduction for "fall"


So what constitutes an actual "fall" in IJS? Does a certain percentage of your body have to hit the ice? Does your butt or tummy have to go down to have a fall (my skater has unfortunately done the belly flop in competition - that was definitely noted as a fall....LOL). Do both of your skates need to lose contact with the ice for it to be a fall?

I guess in my mind, I "fall" a lot when I skate but from a scoring perspective they may not be "falls" under IJS.
 

cohen-esque

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Per Rule 503 in the technical regulations:
A Fall is defined as loss of control by a Skater with the result that the majority of his/her own body weight is on the ice supported by any other part of the body other than the blades e.g. hand(s), knee(s), back, buttock(s) or any part of the arm.

For your example, if he had both blades on the ice and just one hand down, the tech panel probably didn’t think the majority of weight was being supported off the blades. But there’s obviously subjectivity with this rule; I’ve seen skaters get away without a fall deduction in some instances where I was sure they were holding themselves up almost entirely with their hands.
 

concorde

Medalist
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Completely subjective and in some cases it depends on who is skating (at least in my opinion).

I have seen skaters put 2 hands down while at the same time the entire body changes directions and no fall is called.

Other times have seen what appears to be a hand brushing against the ice and fall called.
 
Top