dbny
10-29-2007, 11:15 PM
I just watched Takahashi's and Lysacek's free skate again. There is no way on Earth that Lysacek came anywhere near the quality of Takahashi's skating when using the ISU's own criteria for judging Program Components. Taken from the USFS site:
Program Components
In addition to the technical score, the judges will award points on a scale from 0 to 10 with increments of 0.25 for the program components to express the overall presentation and technical mastery of figure skating. The program component score (PCS) is calculated and factored by specified percentages.
In ladies, men's and pairs, the following five components are scored in the qualifying round, the short program and the free skate. In ice dancing, the following five components are scored in the original dance and the free dance:
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
So how does Lysacek get a PCS of 73.8 compared to Takahashi's PCS of 76.1? Those judges are either blind or biased. Take your pick. I do think the CoP is a big improvement over the 6 point system, but the PCS does leave too much room for favoritism.
Program Components
In addition to the technical score, the judges will award points on a scale from 0 to 10 with increments of 0.25 for the program components to express the overall presentation and technical mastery of figure skating. The program component score (PCS) is calculated and factored by specified percentages.
In ladies, men's and pairs, the following five components are scored in the qualifying round, the short program and the free skate. In ice dancing, the following five components are scored in the original dance and the free dance:
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
So how does Lysacek get a PCS of 73.8 compared to Takahashi's PCS of 76.1? Those judges are either blind or biased. Take your pick. I do think the CoP is a big improvement over the 6 point system, but the PCS does leave too much room for favoritism.