Program Components versus Presentation [Archive]

loveskating

06-09-2003, 11:22 AM

Not sure...will have to see. Something has to be done about this random thing where the majority of judges give it to one skater but the other skater wins...I think judges who are way off the average at either extreme ought to be immediately confronted and sent packing if they don't cut it out.

If this, instead, reflects an effort to tie down and make the "presentation mark" more objective, that I buy...because great presentation is, IMHO, far more objective than it seems.

If leaving only the issue of ice coverage and "skating to the music from within" to the subjective is what is going on, I think it will be for the best...and will not result in just "big tricks" but rather in a lot more finess and less forward and backward stroking...in the kinds of difficult transitions on an edge and difficult moves in the field as jump entrances, which is technically far more difficult as well.

I wonder though, what is meant by "tricks" because judging from many posts, it would seem that these days virtually every element of skating is considered a "trick" and only "edging" in and for itself means anything...yet I never watch edges for their own sake, (well, except once, live, seeing Pasha Grishuk) rather there is a result to great edging which is sure movement, high speed, wonderful flow, and not least, the ability to accellerate on one blade so that you can maintain the speed necessary to do things like a pairs spiral into a 3 throw loop.

Personally, I don't find a bunch of forward and backward strokes at high speed with just no break at the waist very interesting any more, now that so manys skaters have gone way beyond that.