ISU Proposed Rule Changes for 2010. How jumps are scored changed significantly!

The International Skating Union has proposed changes to Scale of Values, Levels of Difficulty and Guidelines for marking Grade of Execution The implementation date for U.S. Figure Skating competitions of ISU Communications 1610 (Ice Dance) and 1611 (Singles and Pairs) will be July 1, 2010. Some of the items in these communications are pending ISU Congress approval. The ISU Congress is in mid-June.

Modifications made at the 2010 Governing Council to the singles program requirements for the juvenile free skate, intermediate short program and intermediate free skate will go into effect June 1, 2010, as specified in the 2009-10 Combined Report of Action.

Elements related to junior singles short programs (Rules 3651 and 3652) as shown for group C may be used in events prior to this date. Elements related to senior pairs short program (Rule 4041) and junior pairs short program (Rule 4051) as shown for Group B may also be used in events prior to July 1.

The base value for jumps (not throw jumps), have changed to their relative difficulty rather than the fixed half a point increments; and the quads have been given a further boost. Positive and negative GOE values have been significantly reduced for 2A and all triples except for 3A. For all triples except for the 3A, the GOE values have been cut by 30%.


Scale of Values, Levels of Difficulty and Guidelines for marking Grade of Execution

I. Scale of Values (SOV)

The following language would be recommended for the new under-rotation/downgrading rules:

Under-Rotated

Jumps and Throw Jumps may, in execution, be lacking intended rotation on the landing and/or take-off. The elements with lacking rotation will be defined as "Under-rotated" or "Downgraded" and treated as follows.

* A Jump/Throw with accepted rotation has "missing rotation of ¼ revolution or less".
* This element will receive full Base Value with GOE at the discretion of every Judge.
* A Jump/Throw will be considered as "Under-rotated" if it has "missing rotation of more than ¼, but less than ½ revolutions".

An under-rotated jump/throw will be indicated by the Technical Panel to the Judges
and in the protocols with a "<" symbol after the element code.

* A jump or throw identified as under-rotated will receive a reduced base value - 70% of the base value of the intended jump/throw rounded to one decimal place. (i.e., if the base value of a jump is 6.0, then the value of the under-rotated jump is 4.2).
* The GOE values applied to the under-rotated jump or throw will be the same as for the intended jump or throw.

Downgraded

A Jump/Throw will be considered as "Downgraded" if it has "missing rotation of ½
revolutions or more".

* A downgraded jump/throw will be indicated by the Technical Panel to the Judges and in the protocols with a "<<" symbol after the element code.
* A jump or throw identified as downgraded will be evaluated using the scale of values (SOV chart) for the element of one rotation less (i.e., a downgraded triple will be evaluated with the scale of values for the corresponding double).
* Both under-rotated and downgraded jumps will count as the intended jump in the application of Well Balanced Program regulations.
* Twist Lifts with lacking intended rotation on the landing can also be downgraded if they have "missing rotation of ½ revolutions or more".

Jump: new base value, old base value (change in value)

Axel + Doubles
1A: 1.1, 0.8 (+0.3)
2T: 1.4, 1.3 (+0.1)
2S: 1.4, 1.3 (+0.1)
2Lo: 1.8, 1.5 (+0.3)
2F: 1.8, 1.7 (+0.1)
2Lz: 2.1, 1.9 (+0.2)
2A: 3.3, 3.5 (-0.2)

Triples
3T: 4.1, 4.0 (+0.1)
3S: 4.2, 4.5 (-0.3)
3Lo: 5.1, 5.0 (+0.1)
3F: 5.3, 5.5 (-0.2)
3Lz: 6.0, 6.0 (no change)
3A: 8.5, 8.2 (+0.3)

Quads
4T: 10.3, 9.8 (+0.5)
4S: 10.5, 10.3 (+0.2)

Grade of Execution

Axel
New: (0.6, 0.4, 0.2, -0.2, -0.4, -0.6)
Old: (1.5, 1.0, 0.5, -0.2, -0.4, -0.5)

Double Toeloop and Salchow
New: (0.6, 0.4, 0.2, -0.2, -0.4, -0.6)
Old: (1.5, 1.0, 0.5, -0.3, -0.6, -1.0)

Double Loop, Flip, Lutz
New: (0.9, 0.6, 0.3, -0.3, -0.6, -0.9)
Old: (1.5, 1.0, 0.5, -0.3, -0.6, -1.0)

Double Axel
New: (1.5, 1.0, 0.5, -0.5, -1.0, -1.5)
Old: (3.0, 2.0, 1.0, -0.8, -1.6, -2.5)

Triple toeloop through lutz
New: (2.1, 1.4, 0.7, -0.7, -1.4, -2.1)
Old: (3.0, 2.0, 1.0, -1.0, -2.0, -3.0)

Triple Axel
New: (3.0, 2.0, 1.0, -1.0, -2.0, -3.0)
Old: (3.0, 2.0, 1.0, -1.4, -2.8, -4.2)


Spin clarifications

* A flying spin whose flying position is not attained must received a negative GOE.
* A spin can also be given a negative GOE for "awkward" positions.
* The backward entry, change of edge, and any type of difficult spin variation can only count once in the program as a level requirement.
* In a combination spin, a skater can only earn 2 levels per foot. [Meaning that they must perform level features on both feet to earn a Level 4.]

Step Sequences

* New Level Feature: At least half a pattern done on one foot
* New Level Feature: Combination of difficult turns quickly executed in both directions (performed at least twice)

All of the changes are from the ISU Communication 1611