What are skating skills on COP system?

[passion]

What specifically is meant by skating skills, transitions, performance/execution elements on the COP system? How are they different from each other?

[daisies]

This is from the USFS website:

Skating Skills
Definition: Overall skating quality: edge control and flow over the ice surface demonstrated by a command of the skating vocabulary (edges, steps, turns, etc.), the clarity of technique and use of effortless power to accelerate and vary speed.

Criteria:
Balance, rhythmic knee action and precision of foot placement
Flow and effortless glide
Cleanness and sureness of deep edges, steps, turns
Power/energy and acceleration
Mastery of multi-directional skating
Mastery of one-foot skating
Equal mastery of technique by both partners shown in unison (pairs and ice dancing)

Transitions/Linking Footwork & Movement
Definition: The varied and/or intricate footwork, positions, movements and holds that link all elements. In singles, pairs and synchronized, this also includes the entrances and exits of technical elements.

Criteria:
Variety
Difficulty
Intricacy
Quality (including unison in pairs and ice dancing)
Balance of workload between partners (pairs and ice dancing)
Variety of holds (not excessive side by side and hand in hand in ice dancing)
Conformity to pattern and stop requirements in ice dancing, original dance only

Performance/Execution
Definition: Performance is the involvement of the skater/couple/teams physically, emotionally and intellectually as they translate the intent of the music and choreography. Execution is the quality of movement and precision in delivery. This includes harmony of movement in pairs and ice dancing.

Criteria:
Physical, emotional and intellectual involvement
Carriage
Style and individuality/personality
Clarity of movement
Variety and contrast
Projection
Unison and “oneness” (pairs and ice dancing)
Balance in performance (pairs and ice dancing)
Spatial awareness between partners — management of the distance between partners and management of changes of hold (pairs and ice dancing)

Choreography/Composition
Definition: An intentional, developed and/or original arrangement of all types of movements according to the principles of proportion, unity, space, pattern, structure and phrasing.

Criteria:
Purpose (idea, concept, vision)
Proportion (equal weight of parts)
Unity (purposeful threading)
Utilization of personal and public space
Pattern and ice coverage
Phrasing and form (movements and parts structured to match the phrasing of the music)
Originality of purpose, movement and design
Shared responsibility in achieving purpose (pairs and ice dancing)

Interpretation
Definition: The personal and creative translation of the music to movement on ice.

Criteria:
Effortless movement in time to the music
Expression of the music's style, character, rhythm
Use of finesse* to reflect the nuances of the music
Relationship between the partners reflecting the character of the music (pairs and ice dancing)
Appropriateness of music in ice dancing, original dance and free dance
*Finesse is the skater's refined, artful manipulation of nuances. Nuances are the personal artistic ways of bringing subtle variations to the intensity, tempo and dynamics of the music made by the composer and/or musicians.

[passion]

Thank you very much. This is extremely helpful. Is there one for the technical aspects?

[daisies]

Thank you very much. This is extremely helpful. Is there one for the technical aspects?

Yes:

Technical Score
In the technical score, each element of a skater's program is assigned a base value. A group of experts, including experienced skaters and coaches, have determined the element base value of each technical element. These element base values give the skaters credit for every element they perform.

Some elements such as spins and footwork sequences have been assigned a level of difficulty. These elements are assigned their base value depending on the level of difficulty. This means that once the competition is over a skater will see that a difficult spin performed well receives more points than an easier spin.

During the program, judges evaluate each element within a range of +3 to -3. (Note: this is not necessarily 1, 2 or 3 “points,” but rather the judges give 1, 2 or 3 + or - grades, which work out to a calculated figure to impact the grade of execution. The + or - numerical values are added to or deducted from the base value.) The judges' grade of execution is added to the base value of the element as part of the determination of the skater's score for that element.

When a skater executes an element, the technical specialist, monitored by the technical controller, identifies the element. The judge then grades the quality of the element. Since a triple Axel's base value is 7.5, a skater has the potential to earn 10.5 points for that jump, or as little as 4.5. The sum of all performed elements together with the grade of execution forms the technical score.


All this is at www.usfigureskating.org. Click on "New judging system" at the top of the page, and then "how the system works" on the left.

[passion]

So a person who falls on the triple axel will probably get 4.5?

[loveskating]

So a person who falls on the triple axel will probably get 4.5?

That sounds like the 6.0 system, where a fall on the 2 axel in the sp was an automatic 4.5 deduction.

Maybe it would be helpful to think of Weiss's usual 3 axel...it would probably get a 1 at most if landed, while Yagudin's would get a +3 (more speed into and out, much bigger, great air position) and just more secure, more confident.

Also, Johnney would maybe get a +2, because although huge and perfect otherwise, he has a bit of a wrap on his 3 axel ...Yagudin used to have a wrap on his, so not to worry, Johnney will fix that pronto.

But isn't it the case under COP that a jump attempted but a fall (or pop) is just no longer there, you get nothing? That makes sense...you get something if you double it, single it, two foot it, etc. but nothing if you fall or pop it?

Apparently I was mistaken on this: according to Wylie commentating COC, you do get a deduction if you fall...but it was not 4.5... more like 1.4 or something. Learning this COP is going to be hard, LOL!