One of our skaters just tested Preliminary FS and the judges were critical of her having done her backspin directly from a forward scratch spin. The requirement says entry optional so her coach thought it was okay. Do all three spins (forward, back and sit) be separate from each other? It's tough getting all the jumps and spins into 1 1/2 minutes. It feels so rushed, without a lot of time for anything artistic - just jump spin jump jump jump spin....

Mainemom

A back spin done directly out of a forward spin would be considered a combo/change of foot spin by some judges (for example, I would probably mark it that way and ask for a reskate as a solo back spin).

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I wondered if that would be considered a combination or change foot spin.
Thanks for clarifying the judgement, Jen.

Interesting back scratch entries in programs:

Starting from regular back crossover-and-hold, the skater stepped forward onto a LFI edge, then entered the backspin from the other foot.

The other is in one of my students' programs. She does a lunge with the left leg in front, stands up, then steps forward into the backspin on the right foot. (RFI edge entry)

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I know for a fact that different judges have different interpretations on this since I've seen it happen twice and one panel accepted it and the other panel asked for a reskate. I personally would probably ask for a reskate if it did look like a combination spin, with both the forward and back spin on the same center. Sometimes skaters have done what were supposed to be "combination" spins with the back spin first, and it has ended up looking like two separate spins. If a skater hypothetically did something like that then I would probably count it as two spins and not ask for a reskate.

I know I've posted on this issue before and might have taken the other side, so forgive me if that's the case. I really can see both sides.

Heh. If you think that's bad - the Intermediate fs test is ridiculis - there are more jumps required that you legally can do for a competition and there is so much other stuff required it would be considered a badly choreographed program in a competition.

j