Do any skaters still practice figures?

[Lark]

I was curious about this.

At U.S. Nationals, it was mentioned that one of the men had been doing some figures moves in practice. I might have heard this wrong.

But my thought would be that anyone under the age of 21 or so would never had to have practiced the school figures since figures were dropped in 1991.

Do any young skaters still go through the practice and honing of figures to try and help their basic skating and edging? It would be time consuming, but it would help in the long run, I would think.

[Mel On Ice]

Wasn't it a skater who was 23 to 24 years old? If they started skating at 4 years of age 20 years ago, figures were still part of the competitive landscape. And I think the last figures event at Nationals was 1999, which was only 8 years ago, giving that skater a competitive option. It would be interesting to see who competed in that last flight to see if they were still around.

There are still coaches out there who want kids to learn even the most basic figures, my freestyle coach and synchro coach in St. Louis taught me some of them in classes on choreography and turns.

ISI still has figures competitions, at the adult champs in Nashville there were I think 9 figures events, the highest going to Figure 9. They are offering it again at Worlds. So chances are they were exposed to the patterns and techniques.

I myself am fascinated by figures and want to pass at least my ISI 1 figures test to compete it once. It's not hard, inside 8s, outside 8s and a waltz 8. I've competed singles, pairs and synchro, I want to experience this part of the sport too.

[Lark]

If I were a young skater, I would hope I would get a coach that would want to hold off on the jumps and train me in edging and speed for the first year or so.

I read an article a while back that said in America, since the parents pay for the training, the parents want the kids to learn jumps right off the bat. That is a bit counter-productive.

[NoVa Sk8r]

John Baldwin Jr. won the men's figure title in 1995. (OK, so he is not an example of how well figures helps one with jumping!)

I believe Michael Weiss and Evan Lysacek are the last of the top men to pass their 8th figure tests.

The Mountain Cup, the international adult competition in France, still has figures events.

[manleywoman]

There's a rink here that during the summer has one hour available on Fridays for figures. But there are 20 kids and maybe three coaches, so essentially they do group lessons on one patch to teach the kids how to do turns on the circle and how it applies to Moves. It doesn't teach the kids much though, as evidenced by the Moves tests they put out, but at least the rink is trying.

I'm one of the few still doing figures, and a lot of the kids I skate with ask me a lot of questions about them, but none have jumped in to do it so far! But the coaches at my rink are amazed at how controlled my edges and checks are compared to how they were a few years back. I just started learning Senior MIF last week and got the sustained edge pattern pretty easily.

The coaches at my rink would love to have the kids do them, but it's always the matter of both finding ice time and getting the parents to pay for it.

[Isk8NYC]

I read an article a while back that said in America, since the parents pay for the training, the parents want the kids to learn jumps right off the bat. That is a bit counter-productive.ITA. Is it truly limited to Americans, do you think, or are parents also misinformed in other countries?

Some skating parents really need to learn "foundation before building." I emphasize it, although I don't have my skaters doing figures. We do some small exercises that really are figures, like one-foot lobes and three-turn circles. I've explained that the exercises and repetition are to build strength, prevent injury from overuse/misuse, and perfect the element. I have four skaters that I inherited this season that never learned the skating word "check." And it shows in their skating - flailing arms and out-of-control turns and jumps! I have to slow them down and reteach the basics almost every week.

So far, my skating students' parents "get it" and can see the more stable skating and ease of learning new elements. I do know that many parents measure progress via "tricks learned." The kids compete on it during practices and apres-skates. "Cheated" doesn't matter to them much.

[daisies]

Skaters still had to pass through their 4th figure test until the mid-'90s, and as someone else pointed out upthread, they held figure competition at standard-track Nationals until 1999. The last year for figure competition at Adult Nationals was 2000, and the Mountain Cup in France still offers figure events!

IMO figures are so important to skating. Not only did they teach proper edge and body control, they gave skaters a respite from all the falling and pounding of freestyle. Nowadays skaters do back to back to back FS sessions and their bodies don't recover the way they did when skaters had a 45-minute patch session in between. What's more, it took skaters longer to move up in level because the figure tests were much harder to pass than are the MIF test, and subsequently it wasn't necessary for little girls and boys whose bodies hadn't fully developed to be trying all these triple jumps that are WAY beyond their abilities.

I am still awaiting confirmation of this, but I will boast prematurely anyway and tell you that I believe I am the last U.S. skater to have passed the 8th figure test. I passed it in July 2004. :) (And if I wasn't the last skater to do it, I am proud of it anyway! LOL!)

[manleywoman]

I'm working on it Daisies, but I'm only testing 3rd this summer, so I think your record is secure!! The judges who can judge my 8th test will be dead by then!

[daisies]

The judges who can judge my 8th test will be dead by then!

LOL!

It's so great that you're still doing figures! :)

[blue111moon]

Charlie Tickner told me in Spokane that he has a one-hour-a-week figure class for all his skaters specifically so that they can learn the turns and steps needed to up the levels in their step sequences.

I do figures once a week during Moves time specifically for Mountain Cup. A couple of the kids I skate with are fascinated by the circles.

[daisies]

Charlie Tickner told me in Spokane that he has a one-hour-a-week figure class for all his skaters specifically so that they can learn the turns and steps needed to up the levels in their step sequences.
What a great idea. Leave it to Charlie! :)

[jazzpants]

OMG!!! Charlie teaching a group class? When? Where? If it's not too far away and doesn't interfere with my job, I'm SO THERE!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

[icedancer2]

I do figures every time I go to practice -- we have a small group of adults that do this -- we line up down the middle at the beginning of the morning freestyle/public session. It is a great way to warm up and work on that edge and turn skills!

Hoping someday to take my Adult Silver figure test. Some Day.

[blue111moon]

OMG!!! Charlie teaching a group class? When? Where? If it's not too far away and doesn't interfere with my job, I'm SO THERE!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

You'll have to call Charlie and ask him. He didn't say any more than that. I expect, though, that it would be sometime during the day since he was talking about the Novice skaters needing to work on learning the difference between rockers, counters and threes to improve the levels of their step sequences for competition.

[daisies]

Several years back a local coach was having her kids do back outside 8's. These kids could do double lutzes, which enter from a back outside edge (or should, anyway), but were having the hardest time with the figure.

SAD!

[montanarose]

Following a broken wrist in 2005 and a broken ankle last summer, I have become gun-shy about returning to the ice: it's now been seven months since I last skated. Part of it is my recent injury-proneness, but more of it is that I've had a number of family issues to deal with (most notably, my 88-year-old father's declining health and all the problems that go along with that).

In any event, I've been thinking recently that one way to get myself back on the ice with a minimum of fear -- and a minimum of physical fitness :lol: -- might be to take up figures. My coach skated in the 1960 Olympics and therefore grew up in the era of SERIOUS figures, so she could certainly teach them to me if she wanted to.

Just wondering . . .

Ellen

[icedancer2]

Several years back a local coach was having her kids do back outside 8's. These kids could do double lutzes, which enter from a back outside edge (or should, anyway), but were having the hardest time with the figure.

SAD!

I think this is great that she is having her kids do this figure -- one sure way to get on a BO edge. I actually have a hard time with this figure (!) but it has more to do with getting the centers right than anything else. I have definitely had a lot of people comment on how good my BO edges are while doing this figure -- well, you can't do it if you're not on an edge!

Following a broken wrist in 2005 and a broken ankle last summer, I have become gun-shy about returning to the ice: it's now been seven months since I last skated. Part of it is my recent injury-proneness, but more of it is that I've had a number of family issues to deal with (most notably, my 88-year-old father's declining health and all the problems that go along with that).

In any event, I've been thinking recently that one way to get myself back on the ice with a minimum of fear -- and a minimum of physical fitness :lol: -- might be to take up figures. My coach skated in the 1960 Olympics and therefore grew up in the era of SERIOUS figures, so she could certainly teach them to me if she wanted to.

Just wondering . . .

Ellen

I find as I get older I am less able to do a lot of moves at speed -- not that I am less able, but more scared of falling -- dances solo, etc., are getting more and more difficult, so a number of years ago I started doing figures. It hasn't necessarily helped my Dance/Moves, except to make me more aware of my body, but it gives me something very challenging on the ice, with minimal risk of falling, although I have fallen a few times on figures!

Figures rule!:P

[Rob Dean]

I hope to be working a bit on this soon. ISK8NYC sent me the pdf of the figures and rules, and my coach is game. We had a few minutes on it at my most recent lesson, but I can see that it will be a while. I recently noticed that Northwest rink in Baltimore does list an actual patch session, at some dark and bleak hour on Saturday mornings...might have a look in a month or so.

Rob Dean

[Mel On Ice]

I went digging through my skating magazine archives and found the 1997 nationals results and the 1999 results. No idea where '98 or '96 disappeared to, probably in the same black hole the eye shadow I bought two weeks ago disappeared into!

Here are the top results for 1997. Champ Men had the smallest competition with 2; Junior Ladies had 14:
Champ Men's Figures
1. Everett Weiss
2. Robert Shmalo

Champ Ladies Figures
1. Melanie Dupon
2. Mackenzie Savidge
3. Sarah Devereaux
4. Brandy Biddle

Junior Men
1. Scott Sarbacker
2. Christopher Mattern
3. Colin Bennett
4. Scott Sheets

Junior Ladies
1. Cammie Burns
2. Emily Best
3. Jessica Veith
4. Heather Lee

Novice Men
1. David Fisch
2. Dan Kuhn
3. Christopher Young

Novice Ladies
1. Khoren Kloeffler
2. Lauren Hill
3. Kristin Griffitts
4. Alicia Towns


1999 was the last year for the National Figures event. In 1998, the men's and ladies event was combined into one, but it looks like no men competed in '99:

Champ Figures
1. Lisa Frenzel Swain
2. Sonja Gullen
3T. Lauren Hill
3T. Lynne Petta

Junior
1T. Jessica Koslow
1T. Erin White
3. Lindsey Westbrook
4. Kristin Griffitts

Novice
1. Abbey Spresser
2. Melissa Orr
3. Lesley Loss
4. Casey Rhodes

There was also a nice photo essay of Lauren Hill (with Pricilla Hill) skating the last figure with roses placed within the loops traced on the ice.

To further exhaust my font of skating knowledge, in the back of the skating directory, it lists the figures champions:

Champ Ladies
1999: Lisa Frenzel Swain
1998: Cassy Papajohn
1997: Melanie Dupon
1996: Cassy Papajohn
1995: Lisa Bryson
1994: Melanie Dupon
1993, 92, 91: Kelly Ann Szmurlo

Champ Men
1997, 96: Everett Weiss
1995: John Baldwin
1994, 93: Gig Siruno
1992: Brian Schmidt
1991: Craig Heath

Junior Ladies
1999: Jessica Koslow and Erin White
1998: Khoren Kloeffler and Brooke Pitman
1997: Cami Bruns
1996: Evelyn Raphael
1995: Jamie Wunderlich
1994: Jennifer Clark
1993: Leah Hardy
1992: Jessica Posada
1991: Casey Link

Junior Men
1997: Scott Sarbacker
1996: Lloyd Sarbacker
1995: Christopher Malato
1994: Eric SChultz
1993: Everett Weiss
1992: Jay Cochon
1991: Laurent Masse

Novice Ladies
1999: Abbey Spresser
1998: Erin Elbe
1997: Khoren Kloeffler
1996: Amanda Adams
1995: Rhea Sy
1994: McKenzie Savidge
1993: Jessica Austin-Hashimoto
1992: Melanie Dupon
1991: Bethany Quintin
1990: Natalie Thomas

Novice Men
1997: David Fisch
1996: Daniel Nguyen
1995: Scott Sarbacker
1994: Brad Russi
1993: Kurt Fromknecht
1992: Danny Clausen
1991: Kevin Donovan
1990: Michael Weiss

[Lark]

Thanks for the info, Mel!

Michael Weiss and John Baldwin are the only two I have ever heard of.

[Mel On Ice]

Sorry to say I haven't heard of any of the women making any sort of splash as freestyle competitors. The men are another story.

Robert Shmalo was Kim Navarro's dance partner for several years, and competed junior and senior dance with her until he retired to go to law school.

Scott Sheets competed as a senior man and at last year's Adult Nationals.

I think Everett Weiss competed freestyle as a senior man during the 90s; Scott Sarbacher too. Kurt Fromknecht and Danny Clausen competed in senior men through the 90s and into the oughts. I remember Fromknecht at Nationals in Cleveland. Not sure when Danny retired from competition.

Craig Heath skates/skated professionally, and won a pro open or two. Nancy Kerrigan noted his spins in her book, saying he had so much control of his spins, he could put something on the ice and rotate around it. He was featured in USFSA magazine as one of a handful of skaters who took all his moves in the field tests, passing his figures, freestyle and MIF tests, becoming a triple gold medalist. I think Dan Hollander was another one who did this. I may have to dig this story out too...

Sorry for the useless trivia, at least I'm using my brainpower for good this evening.

[Lark]

Sorry for the useless trivia, at least I'm using my brainpower for good this evening.

Useless, my patootie!!!!!

I love trivia about skating. And at least you are providing something! LOL

[daisies]

I decided to compete in Junior figures in 1999 at Pacific Coast Sectionals since it was the last year for standard-track figure competition. At 31 I was the oldest skater in the Junior event. Out of 15 skaters (or was it 14? Can't remember!) I was 9th on the first figure (outside counters), 3rd (!!!) on the second figure (forward paragraph threes) and second to last (either 14th or 13th) on the last figure (back paragraph loops). I remember my coach and I knew I was doomed on that last figure because not only did I suck at loops, but it was also a left-foot start. It was as bad as we thought it would be, if not worse. LOL! I was happy though because my final placement was 9th, so I made the top 10! :)

[blue111moon]

Rhea Sy skated in Spokane last week in pairs, I think.

[Figureskates]

I took up figues about two years ago and passed pre-figures up at Lake Placid this past August and am working on Figures 1. Since I am almost 61, my jumping days are about over with arthritis in my lower back and neck. However, i can do figures for hours and have absolutely no problems at all so I figure I will advance as far as I can before the old bod says no.

There were quite a few young skaters taking figures when I was in Placid last August and if my memory serves me correctly there were 7 people who tested figures in the August session...2 adults and 5 kids.

A sight you never see anymore is a patch session with about 5 scribes lying around the edge of the ice. I got a picture of it last August.

[Mel On Ice]

Rhea Sy skated in Spokane last week in pairs, I think.

you are correct - finished middle of the pack in senior pairs. Look at that dedication to sport, wow.

[AnnM]

Wow. All these posts have inspired me. I know my coach had to do figures when she skated and is still familiar with them. I'm going to ask her to start teaching me some of the basic ones.

[kayskate]

Figures are still a competitive event in artistic roller. I started learning them a few yrs ago and then I quit quad roller b/c I did not have time to work and serve to masters (ice and roller).

Kay

[Ellef]

I've been working through the Skate UK course since last May (I'm now on level 8), and I wish something like these figures had been built into the course. I suppose the idea with Skate UK is to produce apparent progress fairly fast, but although I can do forward three-turns and a forward inside mohawk, it's all a bit hit-and-miss.

I recently found a copy of "Ice Rink Skating" by T.D. Richardson in a second-hand bookshop, and paid the princely sum of 3 UK pounds for it. It was published in 1949 and teaches the "old school" figures, so I'm having a bash at them when I practice. I've already learnt that my initial push is waaaay too weak - it's OK for a semi-circle (which is required for Skate UK), but useless for getting all the way round a circle! There's something about practising this supposedly old-fashioned stuff that's very appealing, and as another poster has mentioned above it's a challenging but fairly safe activity. I'm planning to make it a regular part of my practice now.

[AlexeiLover]

Just last night my sister and I were having troubles with our back threes so our coach made us do figures... I guess in that sense they're still alive!

[teresa]

No, but I would be willing to try.

teresa

[skating2007]

you are correct - finished middle of the pack in senior pairs. Look at that dedication to sport, wow.

Just for trivia's sake:

Rhea also competed in Novice freestyle the year she won figures. Double duty-- competed figures and freestyle the same day as I recall. (I think this was also the year Tiffany and Johnny Steigler won Novice pairs.)

Jessica Austin-Hashimoto, who was also listed as a winner of Novice figures, was also a fabulous freeskater/jumper. Huge triple toes and sals as a ~12 yr old novice "back in the day" when that kind of thing was really rare. She and Britney McConn were fairly competitive with each other for a while, I think.

[kate818c]

Junior Ladies
1999: Jessica Koslow and Erin White
1998: Khoren Kloeffler and Brooke Pitman
1997: Cami Bruns
1996: Evelyn Raphael
1995: Jamie Wunderlich
1994: Jennifer Clark
1993: Leah Hardy
1992: Jessica Posada
1991: Casey Link

Jessica Posada was my coach - she never taught me figures but she did teach me axel through double lutz in the span of 3 years.

Just for trivia's sake:

Rhea also competed in Novice freestyle the year she won figures. Double duty-- competed figures and freestyle the same day as I recall. (I think this was also the year Tiffany and Johnny Steigler won Novice pairs.)

Jessica Austin-Hashimoto, who was also listed as a winner of Novice figures, was also a fabulous freeskater/jumper. Huge triple toes and sals as a ~12 yr old novice "back in the day" when that kind of thing was really rare. She and Britney McConn were fairly competitive with each other for a while, I think.

[Isk8NYC]

For those of you who are interested in learning figures, you can request a pdf copy of the "Competitive Figures" section that was removed from the USFSA rulebook some time ago.

In addition, http://worldfigureskating.net/ has an online version of Maribel Vinson Owen's book called "The Fun of Figure Skating." (c. 1960) There is a really good section on rudimentary Figures, including photographs that show body/head positions.