ISU Communication No. 2474 - Levels of Difficulty and Guidelines for marking Grade of Execution and Program Components, Season 2022/23

[Trusova4Ever]

The ISU has posted a new communication regarding changes to be made in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.


Communication No. 2474


Main Points (There are more changes than just this):

• No more Axel +SEQ deductions (X+A, and X+X+A will now receive their full base value).*
• Changes of edge in between jumps in a combo will now incur a -1 to -2 GOE reduction.
• Touch down with hand or free foot (including in between jumps) will now incur a -1 to -2 GOE reduction.
• A "small pattern" in step sequences will now incur a -1 to -3 GOE reduction.
• Step sequences now require "control of the whole body" as a part of a primary GOE bullet, and on an additional bullet, emphasis is now placed on an "interesting pattern".
• Poor take-off: For example a toe-assisted jump is taken off from the full blade, Toe Loop is executed like a Toe Axel or there is excessive rotation on the ice at the take-off. The reduction in GOE is -1 to -3.

*(Pending congress decision)

 

[el henry]

When it says "Pending Congress Decision", does this mean that the ISU Congress needs to approve the "Communication" (Proposal) before it becomes official?

If so, does anyone have any information if these changes are likely to be approved?

 

[Trusova4Ever]

When it says "Pending Congress Decision", does this mean that the ISU Congress needs to approve the "Communication" (Proposal) before it becomes official?

If so, does anyone have any information if these changes are likely to be approved?

Only the axel is to be discussed I believe, the others may very well already be approved.

 

[anonymoose_au]

No more Axel +SEQ deductions (X+A, and X+X+A will now receive their full base value).*

Professor Mishin *rubbing hands*: Long have I waited for this day to arrive

They better let this one through...I'm still pressed about the 20% deduction to Yuzu's 4T-3A sequence. That rocked and deserved top marks.

 

[4everchan]

Professor Mishin *rubbing hands*: Long have I waited for this day to arrive

Ironically, his athletes wouldn't benefit from it .. .at least in the immediate future.

 

[gravy]

Ironically, his athletes wouldn't benefit from it .. .at least in the immediate future.

At least his athletes have the technique to survive a longterm ban. The others... not so much.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

The axel sequence one is overdue since such a reduction wasn’t merited especially given the difficulty of executing an axel straight out of a landing edge.

Pre-rotation GOE of -1 to -3 is pretty ridiculous because that is such a subjective range. Judges are going to have a field day with doling out GOE for that one. Especially since there’s no defined parameters for what’s a -1 vs a -3. Certainly in the womens event this is going to make protocols a mess and many women are just going to avoid triple lutzes and flips altogether if a loop or salchow can get them the same BV + GOE. KnC are going to take that much longer because of judges replaying and scrutinizing way more jumps, as the amount of PR/blade takeoff is difficult to discern in real time. If we are being accurate, pretty much 80% of flips and lutzes and even many toe loops should get some GOE reduction.

Of course the Russians who can do quads even with PR will still do it because even with GOE reduction they’ll garner the base value and earn more points than triples - they just have to make sure they compete at Rostelecom/in Russia if they want to max out their GOE on those jumps.

The change of edges beteeen jumps in a jumping pass is also a weird one because so many skaters will be affected if the judging is applied properly (again, many singles women and also many pairs skaters in their two/three jump combos do that as part of their technique in -toe combos which I never found to be an issue). I mean, hey, I guess we might see more -loop combos now.

Where are the revised pairs quad throw base values?

 

[AlexBreeze]

KnC are going to take that much longer because of judges replaying and scrutinizing way more jumps, as the amount of PR/blade takeoff is difficult to discern in real time. If we are being accurate, pretty much 80% of flips and lutzes and even many toe loops should get some GOE reduction.

I don't think anyone will really rewatch all the jumps. Especially considering that according to Jeroen Prins, judges responsible for GOE don't have slow-mo.

 

[flanker]

OK, skaters with problems to deliver an ordinary 3+3 combo received another gift from ISU, no more BV deduction for the sequence. Bravo ISU, I'm glad you care for the development of the sport so much.

 

[AxelLover]

I'm glad the ISU finally decided to do something about prerotations (although I would prefer a BV reduction instead of GOE). It shows they finally admitted that this issue has to be adressed. I'm worried, however, that this new rule is not going to be used properly and it will lead to double standards.

BTW: Did they give a precise definition of what an "excessive rotation on the ice" is?

 

[Jumping_Bean]

Pre-rotation GOE of -1 to -3 is pretty ridiculous because that is such a subjective range. Judges are going to have a field day with doling out GOE for that one. Especially since there’s no defined parameters for what’s a -1 vs a -3. Certainly in the womens event this is going to make protocols a mess and many women are just going to avoid triple lutzes and flips altogether if a loop or salchow can get them the same BV + GOE. KnC are going to take that much longer because of judges replaying and scrutinizing way more jumps, as the amount of PR/blade takeoff is difficult to discern in real time. If we are being accurate, pretty much 80% of flips and lutzes and even many toe loops should get some GOE reduction.

Nothing much will change. The GOE reduction for poor takeoff has already existed during the whole last Olympic cycle, and while it hadn't been explicitly mentioned what a poor takeoff entails, I'm sure judges were aware that large prerotation, low picking angle, etc. would fall under that rule, but chose to take advantage of the vague nature of the rules and did not apply it...

And I'm sure they will continue to do so, just like they do for other GOE reductions.

 

[Trusova4Ever]

Also from the communication:
(Pending Congress decision)
Choreographic sequences: Definition of choreographic sequences: (pending congress decision) A Choreographic Sequence consists of at least two different movements like steps, turns, spirals, arabesques, spread eagles, Ina Bauers, hydroblading, any jumps with maximum of 2 revolutions, spins, etc.

I would encourage everyone to look through it fully. I hardly covered any pair element revisions and there are more single skater ones.

 

[Trusova4Ever]

And like illusions need to be near a split to be counted as a level now...

Also from the communication:
(Pending Congress decision)
Choreographic sequences: Definition of choreographic sequences: (pending congress decision) A Choreographic Sequence consists of at least two different movements like steps, turns, spirals, arabesques, spread eagles, Ina Bauers, hydroblading, any jumps with maximum of 2 revolutions, spins, etc.

I would encourage everyone to look through it fully. I hardly covered any pair element revisions and there are more single skater ones.

 

[TontoK]

The ISU has posted a new communication regarding changes to be made in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.


Communication No. 2474


Main Points (There are more changes than just this):

• No more Axel +SEQ deductions (X+A, and X+X+A will now receive their full base value).*
• Changes of edge in between jumps in a combo will now incur a -1 to -2 GOE reduction.
• Touch down with hand or free foot (including in between jumps) will now incur a -1 to -2 GOE reduction.
• A "small pattern" in step sequences will now incur a -1 to -3 GOE reduction.
• Step sequences now require "control of the whole body" as a part of a primary GOE bullet, and on an additional bullet, emphasis is now placed on an "interesting pattern".
• Poor take-off: For example a toe-assisted jump is taken off from the full blade, Toe Loop is executed like a Toe Axel or there is excessive rotation on the ice at the take-off. The reduction in GOE is -1 to -3.

*(Pending congress decision)

Thank you for distilling the main points.

Have step sequences required "an interesting pattern" up to now? It's not clear from watching on TV/video, but we seemed to have moved away from basic straightline/circular/serpentine patterns, and I can't tell if there is any pattern at all.

It's seemed to me recently that step sequences have meandered across the ice as skaters attempt to fit in all the required turns and such.

 

[macy]

Pre-rotation GOE of -1 to -3 is pretty ridiculous because that is such a subjective range. Judges are going to have a field day with doling out GOE for that one. Especially since there’s no defined parameters for what’s a -1 vs a -3. Certainly in the womens event this is going to make protocols a mess and many women are just going to avoid triple lutzes and flips altogether if a loop or salchow can get them the same BV + GOE. KnC are going to take that much longer because of judges replaying and scrutinizing way more jumps, as the amount of PR/blade takeoff is difficult to discern in real time. If we are being accurate, pretty much 80% of flips and lutzes and even many toe loops should get some GOE reduction.

exactly my thoughts, a rule like this is extremely subjective and its going to be a hot mess. i don't think this one will last long.

they really dumped Russia though with this rule and the change of edge between jumps one. oof.

 

[lariko]

I am curious to see how the additional scrutiny to jumps will work out. It addresses a lot of complaints on the forums, so I hope it will satisfy at least someone.

 

[4everchan]

OK, skaters with problems to deliver an ordinary 3+3 combo received another gift from ISU, no more BV deduction for the sequence. Bravo ISU, I'm glad you care for the development of the sport so much.

i don't see it like this honestly... Yes... for some...there are already 2a-3t that can solve the lack of true 3-3 combo and the Euler combos as well... so why not let ALL skaters do combos that they feel good about and not discriminate against one kind?

Also, it's totally possible that a skater does a 3-3 combo AND an axel sequence INSTEAD of a 3-2 combo... not everyone can tag along -3loops .. .so we see a lot of double jumps already in combos which could be changed by a sequence with a double axel. Honestly, I see this as a possibility for some to increase their options and not a cheap way out.

 

[Lurker11]

This helps Kostornaia a lot, I think it also benefits Sasha relative to Kamila and Anna (most affected of the three). I think it will help prolong Valieva's career if policed properly.

 

[4everchan]

I really don't think we can make any predictions yet on the impact of the rules about jump GOEs... there are the rules, and there are the application of the rules.

two very different things. I am not worried at all for anybody here yet.

 

[flanker]

i don't see it like this honestly... Yes... for some...there are already 2a-3t that can solve the lack of true 3-3 combo and the Euler combos as well... so why not let ALL skaters do combos that they feel good about and not discriminate against one kind?

Also, it's totally possible that a skater does a 3-3 combo AND an axel sequence INSTEAD of a 3-2 combo... not everyone can tag along -3loops .. .so we see a lot of double jumps already in combos which could be changed by a sequence with a double axel. Honestly, I see this as a possibility for some to increase their options and not a cheap way out.

You are free to see whatever you want to see, you can even fully ignore why the name is a "sequence" and not a "combination".