Skating against "The Book"

[Mel1977]

Have any of you ever had to skate against "the book?" Or was this something they only do at the competition I was at this past weekend. At Wisconsin's Badger State Games I was the only adult in my short program and artistic, so I had to skate against the book, meaning I got scored based on how I skated compared to a typical performance at that level...I guess. Can any of you help me understand how this is scored? I ended up second (out of one). How do I explain that to people when they ask how I did?
Just wondering if anyone else has had to do this, and how you did.

[dani]

I skated against the book in an ISI competition. I was freaking out more because of that pressure (coming in 2nd or 3rd out of 1!)

I sort of make light out of it and explain that they make up some fictional skaters for you to skate against. I guess one of them had a really good day! ;-)

Do they skate against the book for USFSA comps?

I am glad you went out and skated! Congrats on that!

Hugs!
Danielle

[Black Sheep]

I competed "against the book" all the time as an ISI adult skater. I switched to USFSA comps. when I got bored having nobody to skate against. ;)

[dbny]

I attended an ISI coaching & judging seminar where this was explained. In ISI, every program has required elements and they must be done to the test standard. For example, both right and left T stops might be required. If a skater is skating against the book and should miss on or omit a required element, then she cannot be first. If several required elements are missed or omitted, she may not even place. So, to come in first in a field of one, the skater has to do all required elements to the testing standard. Otherwise, a skater could end up with a gold medal and not have completed any of the required elements, but just shown up and skated.

[sk8er1964]

I have a competition in 2 weeks (USFSA) where I am the only entry. They offered to either refund my money or allow me to exhibition skate and get a judge's critique and a discussion with the judges about my program. What a fabulous offer 1 week before Wyandotte - we jumped on it. I probably would not have done it if I had to skate against the book. It would not have gained me anything productive.

[Figureskates]

Oh great, more pressure...

How do you explain to your buddies that you came in last skating against the book???

Imagine this conversation..

How did you do?

I came in 7th..

How many in your flight?

Ah, one. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[vesperholly]

I think that's stupid. What if there are three people competing and *none* of them complete all of the required elements? Do they give out silver, bronze and a ribbon? Probably not, they give out gold, silver and bronze. You can't assume there's a ficticious skater who completes all of the elements, and everyone gets judged to that standard. That's a test, not a competition.

That's like the US Nationals in Senior Men this year - no one really deserved a gold (I'd prefer all the medalists to get silver!) but they gave it out anyways.

Jocelyn

[RoaringSkates]

I skated against the book at the only comp I've done so far. It was ISI, of course, and I was the only adult skater in my division. My coach had told me all about skating against the book. She said that it's sometimes harder to place first if you're skating against the book than if you were skating against even one more skater. The judges sometimes hold skaters skating against the book to a higher standard than if other skaters were in the same group. Be proud of your second place. Just don't tell anyone how many people were in the competition!

[dani]

I came in second against the book at a USFSA competition this past weekend! Oh well, I thought about scratching, but then I actually skated fairly well for me and was happy with my skate. I had 2 first place and 3 second place ordinals, so ... Given the fact that I was failing on all three elements earlier in the week, I was quite amazed that I pulled off a silver!

I was disappointed a little in that because the judge that passed my bronze freeskate was on the panel and I hoped to do him proud. Of course, when I skated my heart out in the freeskate (congrats Flutzilla!) I have to believe he felt justified in making me a bronze skater!

Hugs!
Danielle

[Mel On Ice]

I was told by my coach that in order to "win" by skating against the book, you had to complete 80% of the elements. By that standard, in a freeskate where you have 6 elements to do, you could completely blow one element and be wobbly on another and still get gold.

I agree, there is a different pressure to skating against the book. I'm not crazy about it, but I don't really mind it either. I'm also pretty happy that I don't know if I have competition or not this weekend. I'd rather be prepared to compete against someone other than myself.