New rules to benefit Yu-na in record, Asada in scoring

With rule changes likely to be applied during future figure skating competitions, expectations are mounting that Kim Yu-na's current world record is likely to stand for a long time.

Prior to the 2010-2011 season, the International Skating Union's agenda includes proposed amendments to the current competition rules, to be discussed at its annual meeting in Barcelona next month.

The most significant changes would include those to the women's singles category, which would bring about some huge changes in the judging system if effectuated.

Debate is likely to arise in Barcelona, as some officials suggest the short program remove the spiral sequence from its required elements, and allow skaters to do a triple axel in lieu of a double axel.

Until now regulations required the women's short routine be comprised of three jumps, three spins, one step sequence and one spiral sequence, with a double axel as a compulsory jump.

There will also be talk of reducing the permitted number of double axels to a maximum of two as opposed to the current three in the free program.

Considering the current status of women's skating, it all comes down to one ultimate question: Which will they favor, Kim or Asada?

In a nutshell, the changes are likely to help consolidate Kim's world records for a long period of time, but aid Asada in upcoming competitions.

Kim, the sport's Korean sensation, set a staggering record of 228.56 points at the Vancouver Winter Games in February. With seamless and ethereal performances throughout the short and free programs, the 20-year-old left her perennial archrival Mao Asada of Japan 23.06 points behind her.

The two major changes in the short program, if implemented, would not make a remarkable difference in points. In Vancouver, Kim earned 5.4 points from the spiral sequence, while an upgrade from a double axel to a triple axel would have given Asada a 4.7-point advantage in the short program.

Asada would greatly benefit from the new system if she can do a triple-triple combination along with a triple axel in the short program. However, the Japanese star didn't include any combined triples last season because she was more focused on polishing her trademark triple axel and her previous triple-triple attempts were mostly downgraded due to a problem with poor rotation.

A new rule in the long program, however, could challenge Kim, who strongly relies on three double axels to make up for the lack of a triple loop.

Kim, currently at No. 1 in the world ranking by a large margin, has been ruling out the triple loop in her programs for the last few seasons because of shaky landings. Asada, in contrast, did only one double axel in her Vancouver free routine.

Some critics also say the inclusion of a triple axel in the short program wouldn't be good for Mao, because it remains to be seen how much longer Asada will perform that jump.

Asada was the only skater to include the 3.5-rotation jump in her routines for the last couple of seasons, but mostly ended up receiving deductions for under-rotation.

In Vancouver, she turned the tables to land all three of her triple axels in the short and free programs. However, her success rate has remained below 50 percent throughout her career, with the Japanese skater suspected of having passed her physical golden moment.

Interesting. We'll see how this shakes out. Mao will be fine; she's a champ.

I believe in Mao (:
soo even the rules benefit Yu-na in record
Mao is going to beat it ;D hoho!
as Bill508 said...

Quote :

she's a champ.

Here is another article:


The International Skating Union on May 6 announced new rules for its figure skating scoring system that some people are already calling the "Asada rules" as they contain elements that would be advantageous to Japan's Mao Asada.

By the same token, Asada's archrival Kim Yu-na could lose points even if she performed the same program she skated in the Vancouver Olympics. That is bad news for the figure skating queen, who is deciding whether she should remain in competition or turn professional.

◆ Technical Prowess

Under the new regulations, which will take effect from the 2010/2011 season once approved by the ISU general assembly next month, the base value of triple axels will increase from 8.2 points to 8.5. The base value of quadruple jumps, which are executed only by elite male skaters, will also be raised. This is to reward skaters who include more challenging elements in their programs. By contrast the base value of double axels, which are one of Kim's specialties, dwindles from 3.5 points to 3.3.

Also, failing to perform a full rotation will be penalized less under the new rules. This is intended to encourage skaters going for difficult jumps. Asada now risks less if she fails to nail a difficult jump perfectly.

◆ Smaller Deductions

Kim has consistently executed triple jumps cleanly to accumulate grade of execution bonus points of 1.5 to 2. However, the range of GOE has now decreased from 3 each way to 2.1 each way. Thus even if she performs the same jumps to a high standard, Kim will only get 70 percent of the bonus points she used to get.

On the other hand, the range of GOE for a triple axel will be narrowed, from minus 4.2 to plus 3 to 3 each way. That means when Asada successfully lands a triple axel, she gets the same GOE points, but if she fails the deduction will be smaller.

The ISU also plans to exclude the spiral sequence from the required elements in the short program, and reduce its importance in the free skating by treating it as part of the choreography.

◆ Kim Vs. Asada ◆

Kim won the gold medal in Vancouver in February this year by shattering the world record with a combined total of 228.56 points. She won the highest scores both in the short program with 78.5 points and free skating with 150.06 points.

But under the new system, Kim's score would be around 215 points, 13 points less than her Olympic record, as she would lose nearly five points on the decreased GOE for jumps. Asada would lose six points from her silver-medal-winning 205.50 points to around 199 points while the jump elements in the free skating alone would give her two points more.

Thus Asada would lose to Kim again when the two Olympic performances are compared under the new judging system, though the margin would dwindle from 23 to 16 points. However, if Kim retires, there the chances are that Asada will become the dominant force and very hard to beat.

Rezev wrote:

The International Skating Union on May 6 announced new rules for its figure skating scoring system that some people are already calling the "Asada rules" as they contain elements that would be advantageous to Japan's Mao Asada.

By the same token, Asada's archrival Kim Yu-na could lose points even if she performed the same program she skated in the Vancouver Olympics. That is bad news for the figure skating queen, who is deciding whether she should remain in competition or turn professional.

Oh vv please!!
I see a lot of paranoid here!
actually if they're saying that the new rules would make Mao have more points in the Olys,
who knows vv
But I think people is being very specific with the skaters...
I mean :/ maybe all of this is an advantage to Mao, but not just to Mao vv
I wasn't the only one who was questioning the veracity of the results in the Olympics
starting with the fact that difficult jumps like Triple Axel didn't have the score that it deserved, like Pulshenko & Lysacek :/ that as all we know, Plushenko had a performance with more complex elements than Lysacek but he got silver...

Even though I think ISU have to have a balance :/
they haven't found it yet... but is better than before...