Pairs Elements - what is the most difficult?

[Aussie Willy]

Just a question for those who know more about pairs skating than I do - preferably someone who has done it or judges it.

Out of the following what are the most difficult and a pair would get more credit for?

Throws - Salchow, toe loop, Loop or 2axel?

Death spirals - forward inside, back inside or back outside? (I haven't included the forward outside because I know this is meant to be the most difficult or is it?) I also noticed with the back inside lots of girls stick their butts out so does this mean it is more difficult?

[Intensity20]

I can't say a lot about the death spirals, but as for throws, the difficulty level is roughly:

throw 2axel
throw 3salchow
throw 3toe-loop
throw 3loop

Some pairs find the axel harder though, while most teams don't even do the toe.

[gandalf]

Not a judge or former pairs skater but have heard via pairs-skating commentators that the forward outside death spiral is most difficult while forward inside is easiest.

[Scott]

I am very bad with death spirals but isn't the most difficult the back outside edge. I thought this was the one where the Lady has to lean back and arch her back and then bring down her head toward her partner's skate, keeping her free leg pointed in the air. Is this correct?

[Spider68]

Has to be good, fast, in-sync side-by-side spins. Haven't seen too many of these.

[Shae & Vic Forever]

fwd inside is the hardest, you have to maintain your edge (it's a harder edge on the death spiral) and make sure your descent is clean...this from a former pairs skater

[gandalf]

[quote:2d9926ed8e="Shae & Vic Forever"]fwd inside is the hardest, you have to maintain your edge (it's a harder edge on the death spiral) and make sure your descent is clean...this from a former pairs skater[/quote:2d9926ed8e]

Maybe it depends on the skater - I distinctly remember Paul Martini saying during the '98 Olys that fwd inside was easiest. I also remember Barb Underhill commenting circa B&E '93 that the fwd outside was hardest, accounting for why so few people performed it.

I know K&D had no problem with the fwd inside but their back outside was horrendous.

[leap of faith]

I always thought they went from

F.I
B.I.
B.O.
F.O

Forward inside was the ones all juvenile pairs teams did at Jr. Nats. Isn't it the first one you learn because it's the easiest?

Forward outside is rarely seen. I know B&E did it in their 1993 LP. S&Z did it a couple years ago too.

the back outside I've noticed some teams struggle with it and the girl doesn't arch back. K&D and B&S are 2 teams I can think of. U&M and W&W had the best ones.

[Shae & Vic Forever]

oooooppppssssss I totally meant fwd. outside :oops:

[Hidden Agenda]

I vote for fast side by side spins with perfect unison.