Pairs - can you skate Down a level?

[pennskater]

I was just wondering.
If one of the skaters is Novice (passed Novice pairs) and the other is Intermediate, can the couple skate Intermediate?
I know there are different rules for pairs v freestyle, with different age requirements. Plus I know that they allow higher level freestyle skaters to skate at lower levels for pairs.
So, that is why I was wondering if a higher level pairs skater can skate at a lower level.

[Ellyn]

I believe that if one member of the pair has passed the novice pair test but never competed novice pairs in a qualifying competition, they can still compete intermediate. But check the latest rulebook to be certain.

[Scott]

I believe that once you pass a level you can never again skate down. If this was allowed it might create a rather unfair situation for those skaters that were skating up!

[Lee]

In Canada, you can compete at whatever level you're qualified for based on tests and age (if applicable). Therefore, if a singles skater has passed the Novice Competitive test, they could still skate Juvenile, if they met the age qualifications. There is no upper limit on tests. There *used* to be, but SC decided that was prejudicial to the skaters and kept them from testing when they might be ready.

You have to remember, just because someone passes a certain level of test, doesn't mean they are necessarily ready to be [i:a2e48da9d7]competitive[/i:a2e48da9d7] at that level. SC Competitive test guidelines indicate the minimum required to pass a test is that which is considered to be 'entry-level.'

Is there anything in the USFSA rules that prohibits skaters from competing at a lower level that what they've tested?

[Ellyn]

Yes, in singles you can't compete at a lower level than you've tested. (Freestyle -- you can test ahead as much as you like in Moves in the Field.)

I think there is an exception for pair skaters where the two members of the team are at different test levels *and* the higher level skater hasn't already competed at the higher level. This may be very new.

For dance, there used to be an upper and lower range of compulsories that each member of the team could have passed, but a few years ago they removed the upper limits for the CDs. There's no reason a novice dancer couldn't test the international dances. However, there are still minimum levels of CDs, MIF, and free dance tests they must have passed, and the free dance tests are now the only upper limits.

[Scott]

Ellyn, I think that you may be correct concerning pairs. If the partner has competed at the higher level then he or she can never go back down. The lower ranked partner can however skate up. It is interesting that in Canada they apparently have age groupd to go along with the different levels.

[sktngmom]

[quote:d37c5975b4="pennskater"]I was just wondering.
If one of the skaters is Novice (passed Novice pairs) and the other is Intermediate, can the couple skate Intermediate?[/quote:d37c5975b4]

According to last year's rulebook (CR8.09 D 2) "It is permissable for one or both of the partners to have passed the Novice Pair Test but no higher, and still remain eligible to compete at the Intermediate Pair level, provided that neither skater has competed at the Novice pair level in qualifying competition, Further, if the skater chooses to compete at the Intermediate pair level, they must do so with a person other than the one with whom they passed the Novice Pair test." The other levels have similar wording for the requirements.

I don't have this year's rulebook, so it's always possible that there was a change since last year, but I don't remember reading about any changes in this rule.

[Lee]

[quote:3d9ff10216="Scott"] It is interesting that in Canada they apparently have age groupd to go along with the different levels.[/quote:3d9ff10216]

The only age groupings are at the Juvenile (and pre-juv) and Junior levels. There are no age restrictions at Pre-Novice or Novice, nor in Juvenile Dance or Pairs.

Now while skaters may have passed tests higher than what they are competing, there ARE some restrictions to them competing at a lower level than what they have previously. In other words, they can't compete Senior one year and drop down to Junior the next.

[Scott]

Thanks for the clarification Lee!

[Trillian]

[quote:0503f7226c="Ellyn"]I think there is an exception for pair skaters where the two members of the team are at different test levels *and* the higher level skater hasn't already competed at the higher level. This may be very new.
[/quote:0503f7226c]

That exception is pretty new IIRC. Jeremy Allen was one of the first to take advantage of it, I think. He'd already passed his senior test (skating with Shelby Lyons) before competing junior with Debbie Blinder in the 2000-2001 season. Not only had he never competed in seniors with Shelby, I don't think he or Debbie had ever competed above novice until they skated together, so it was probably a good thing for them that they had that rule.