Toe/Edge - Inconsistencies

[A.H.Black]

I understand that almost all skaters are either stronger with toe jumps or edge jumps. That's not what this thread is about.


I remember watching Paul Wylie for years. For Paul, the toe jumps were obviously the strongest but sometimes that would switch. It seemed that when his lutz was on, he couldn't land the axel (triple) and when he could land the axel, his lutz would desert him. I only remember a few programs, probably only four or five, when both the lutz and axel cooperated during the same skate.

Since then I have noticed that many other skaters have the same problem. When one group of jumps are going well, the other group goes bye bye. For example.

Honda - Takeshi often gets the quad going but then has trouble with the axel. If the axel is on, the quad has taken a holiday.

Siguri - Just this last week at Four continents Fumie had trouble with both lutzes in the long but the loop was good (where she has had trouble in the past)

I have also noticed the same pattern with Sandhu and several other skaters. I would love to know, from a skating point of view, how this problem happens. It has been frustrating to watch over the years so I know it must be exasperating for skaters.

[vesperholly]

First of all, The axel is a completely different monster than simply an "edge" jump and should be treated as such.

Second of all, Paul Wylie was also Mr. Inconsistency, so it's difficult to base any kind of theory on his skating.

That said, what I think happens is skaters realize that a certain jump is a problem, for example the triple loop. So in practice they work on it a little more, and it "occupies their thoughts" more than a secure jump. Then they get to competition, and their focus is uneven - too much of it on the triple loop. So they go out, nail the triple loop, and fail to give the secure jumps the needed focus and make mistakes on them. They get distracted by the success of the trouble jump. Or if they fail on the trouble jump, it raises the stakes and makes landing the other jumps more important, so they focus more on landing them.

Emanuel Sandhu does this often - he will miss a big jump and instead of rebounding and still being able to do the rest of the program, he will screw up on lesser jumps like a triple flip. Jeff Buttle at Canadians was able to do the opposite - he missed the quad (hard fall too) and got right back up and was still able to "stay in the moment" and focus on landing every other planned jump (which he did with the exception of a step-out on a triple axel).


Jocelyn

[Chico]

I skate, and here's my two cents. Both of you are correct. Different skaters tend to like toe or edge jumps. I happen to like edge jumps because these feel more comfortable to me. You do tend to work more on jumps that are giving you fits, and thus they may become more consistent for a time.

Chico