I've been wondering what the figure events are like at the Adult Internationals like Mt. Cup. How are they organized? What figures are people doing and how are the levels divided?

I'm still wondering how they chose the figures for the Pacific Coast Adult Sectionals and I'm wondering how the figures are chosen at the other Adult competitions.

[Basically, I'm still wondering how many people doing "low figures" want to do, or for that matter, CAN do FO-BI3s?????????]

(iceancer2, still struggling with that figure with 3 weeks until showtime!!)

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

The figures are just picked at random, or the person running the competition picks the figures. I mean how do they pick compulsory moves or field moves for competition? They just pick figures that test a variety of skills if they were all outside or all forward how much fun would that be?

I have done the figures at mountain cup and my first year did the silver figures and then last year the masters figures. I don't take it to seriously even though the figures are good for building skills and help with posture and strength. I wouldn't suggest you do something to taxing the figures are divided into three levels bronze, silver and gold with bronze being the easiest up through gold. There are also some higher figures up to 6th, 7th and 8th, the masters figures are from the 3rd, 4th and 5th test.

While I do the masters figures they are much higher than my actual figure level and they are a challenge for me but my friends who do them with me are challenged as well, so its all in fun.

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

How the levels are divided is easy - check the competition announcement.

Back when figures were a regular part of competition, the specific selected figures were picked from random from a set related to the test level - details were in the USFSA manual. For those at Senior level (8th test, US test structure) they were picked at random from the 4th-8th test I believe - folks had to keep all of those in active rotation! At one point, figures were picked at the competition - you didn't have days/weeks/months of warning.

If you really think a figure that has been picked is at an unfair (too high) level - well, that's probably true for everyone in the event then and thus the playing field is pretty even. It's competition, not a test - you're judged against other entrants not the test standard.

I'm in the high figures event - and both figures are challenging. Neither of them are on tests that I have passed. But honestly? I am thrilled to pieces to be able to compete figures, and I'm having a blast working on them. In the end, it's like competing anything - if you set your goal to get out there to do a good-for-you example of the figure, let the medals fall where they may.

I haven't competed at Mtn Cup but hope to someday. My understanding is that the figures are picked well in advance. Email the competition folks and they'll fill you in.

I tried opening the announcement but found I couldn't - maybe I was just looking in the wrong place.

Wow - I had no idea - that would be hard because that is a LOT of different figures!

I realize that - just an underlying feeling of doom I guess. I haven't competed before.

No worrying about medals, but basic embarassment

I'll try that. I am just curious.

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

I found the announcement for 2006 I believe, this is what it states for the figures events:

COMPULSORY FIGURES :

Pre-Bronze Figures:

Bronze Figures:

The following figures will be skated:
3a/b RBO - LBO Circle Eight
7a/b RFO – LFO Three (skaters may choose the
starting foot)
9a/b FI – BO Three (skaters may choose the
starting foot)

Silver Figures:

Gold Figures

19a/b FI Bracket

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

Ice Dancer, I'm fairly sure it is the same for this year - if you haven't got the documentation for this year's Mountain Cup, PM me with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you. Or it can be found on Rob's site:

http://www.gerfsc.com/mountcup.htm

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

We generally know the figures for MC in December, which gives us a lot of time to practice them.

My coach was telling about how many times they would pick the figures at the event, that would be hard.

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

Thanks - I was looking at that site yesterday but totally missed the 2008 Announcement. I was totally brain-dead from judging an early-morning test session I guess.

Anyway, interesting - coskater - do you mean that it was hard to pick the figures or that they wanted to pick the hard figures ? I notice that the Bronze figures for this year are the same as for 2006 and actually I think the Silver figures (which I don't qualify for) would be easier for me than that BI3 but of course that is only because I am not trying to work those up - they SOUND more doable to me.

I'm not sweating this or anything... just planning my ENTIRE life around it (at PCAS). Wish I could afford to go to Mt. Cup!!

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

They made the silver figures a little easier, when I did the silver figures 3-4 years ago they were all from the 2nd and 3rd test. Currently they are from the 1st and 2nd test.

The woman who runs the Mnt Cup tries to pick figures that are doable, she changes the figures depending on the feedback from the skaters.

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

I do Silver Figures at Mountain Cuo every year, even though they're generally way above my actual test level (I tested a long time ago!).

The Silver figures this year are a little easier than in past years because the organizers wished to enourage people who have been doing Bronze figures to try to move up.

Because Mountain Cup deals with skaters from many different countries, most of which don't have test strutures for adults, the figures don't correspond to US Adult Tests. The Bronze, Silver, Gold names for the categories are just names for the divisions; they don't mean that the figures come from those tests.

I will be doing Silver Figures again at Mountain Cup. With the injuries I've had this year, and with no patch ice at all this year, even the "easy" figures are going to be tough for me.

I realize that - I am well aware of what figures are on the Adult figure tests!

My beef (if you want to call it that) is on the figures for the Pacific Coast Adult Sectionals coming up in 3 weeks. The "low" figures are:

FOI Serpentine (either foot)
FO3-BI3

You must have passed US Preliminary or Adult Bronze figures and no higher than 2nd figure test

The High figures are:

Paragraph 8
FI-BO Brackets

Requirements are US 3rd figure test or Adult Silver test.

And my issue is that I think the FO3-BI3 is too hard for low level, that is all.

Also I have a friend who has NO figure tests but likes figures and does them well. She can't compete AND she can't do a BI3 anyway so she wouldn't want to do it.

I had hoped it would be more inclusive, but then again, there are 3 people competing low level and 9 for high level, so obviously I can't really complain (although I have and probably will ).

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

The BI3 does seem a bit much for low. It seems like they should have made the low competition simpler to encourage people to compete. Still, I'm really looking forward to watching!

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Gordon Zaft
http://sk8rboi.blogspot.com
School figures are skating's equivalent of the Latin Mass.

Thanks you! We figured that "somebody" (more important than me) wanted to do that figure. (snarky-snarky-snarky-snarky-snarky )

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

But I don't get the issue here -

both figures events have figures that are substantially higher than the minimum test level for that event. High Figures requires Adult Silver or the Third test. The event figures are a paragraph 8 and a FI bracket. The paragraph 8 is on the 5th test I think, and the FI bracket on the fourth test. The Adult Silver test has F double threes, a change three, and I forget what else - but nothing approaching the 4th or 5th tests.

Anyway, my point from earlier still stands. Most everyone is in the same boat that these are "reach" figures unless they have tested really high. Just do 'em and have fun.

My issue is a personal one.

I also think that the high figures are too high for someone who just has the Adult Silver test. It doesn't affect ME however, but may affect some of the competitors (but only if they are as sideways-thinking as I am).

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

I tend to agree with saras, when I do figures I do them for fun. I am not good at them, I use them for PT and to help me with control issues. The higher figures like loops are great for core strength and the focus they take also reinforces good habits. If I wanted to win I would do the "easier" figures, but I enjoy the challenge and last place doesn't bother me....that much.

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

Here's a hint for ya coskater, when you jump in a figures competition, that's bad

It was a bunny hop and --I had a hill on my section of the ice...

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

that's really funny -

my former dance coach (he moved away...) told me that he used to try axels and the like during patch - patch was not his favorite. Frankly, the idea of doing an axel on a really flat blade without toe picks scares the bejeezus out of me