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Ice sport performed on figure skates / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Highest governing body | International Skating Union |
---|---|
Nicknames | Skating |
Characteristics | |
Contact | none |
Team members | Individuals, duos, or groups |
Mixed-sex | Yes |
Equipment | Figure skates |
Glossary | Glossary of figure skating terms |
Presence | |
Olympic | Part of the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1920; Part of the first Winter Olympics in 1924 to today |
Figure skating refers to any sporting, artistic or recreational skating that utilises the moves and techniques that are derived from The English and The International styles of ice figure skating. It can be undertaken by individuals, duos or groups. All forms of figure skating are a test of a skater's control and balance. Partner or group skating additionally tests the coordination and synchronisation between members of the team/group.
Apart from a small number of moves or during transitions between feet, figure skaters skate only on one foot and on one or other edge of the skate blade (not both).
The ice skates used - figure skates - are specially designed for this purpose. They differ from those used in ice hockey, short track and speed skating. The design of figure skates may further differ between figure skating diciplines, most notably between Ice Dance and Single skating/Pair skating.
Along with other forms of skating, Figure Skating is one of the only human powered activities where travelling backwards is intergral to the dicipline. The ability to skate well backwards and forward skating is considered to be equally important, as is the ability to transition well between the two through turns, jumps and rotations (spins and twizzles).[1][2]
The English style of figure skating began towards the end of the 18th century. It involved holding graceful positions until a turn or change of direction.[3] Great attention was paid to the shape and quality of the Figures traced into the ice by the movement of the skater and their blade across it. This style of skating gave Figure Skating its name.
The International style, which is seen on TV, emphasises a greater fluidity and range of movement across the ice. It may include moves like jumps and spins. The origin of this style can be traced back to Jackson Haines.[4]
The blade has a groove on the bottom creating two distinct edges: inside and outside. In the sport, judges prefer that skaters glide on one edge of the blade and not on both at the same time, which is referred to as a flat edge.
During a spin, skaters use the "sweet spot" of the blade,which is one of two rockers to be found on a blade and is the roundest portion of the blade. The sweet spot is located just behind the toe pick and near the middle of the blade. The other rocker is the more general curvature of the blade when stroking or gliding.
Skates used in singles and pair skating have a set of large, jagged teeth called toe picks on the front of the blade. Toe picks are mainly used for the take-off on jumps. Ice dance blades have smaller toe picks.
There are many different types of boots and blades to suit different disciplines and abilities. For example athletes who are performing advanced multi-rotational jumps often need a stiffer boot that is higher and gives more support. Athletes working on single or double jumps require less support and may use a less stiff boot.
Ice dancers may prefer a lower cut boot that is designed to enable more knee bend.
Likewise, blades designed for free and pairs skating have a longer tail to assist landing. The blade profile and picks are designed to assist with spinning and with jump entry, take-off, landing and exit. Modern blade technology increasingly uses carbon fibre and materuals other than steel to make blades lighter. There are suggestions that these materials may also be more flexible and help cushion jump landings and be protective of young atheletes joints.
Ice dance blades have short tails to enable close foot work and reduce the risk of blade clash in close complex moves. They may also be thinner to assist with glide and fast changes of edge.
Both boots and blades are made by a range of specialist manufacturers bases in different countries, some are long established and others newer entrants to the market. There is healthy competition that helps drive innovation as the sport progresses.
Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level (senior) at local, regional, sectional, national, and international competitions. The International Skating Union (ISU) regulates international figure skating judging and competitions. These include the Winter Olympics, the World Championships, the World Junior Championships, the European Championships, the Four Continents Championships, the Grand Prix series (senior and junior), and the ISU Challenger Series.
The sport is also associated with show business. Major competitions generally conclude with exhibition galas, in which the top skaters from each discipline perform non-competitive programs. Many skaters, both during and after their competitive careers, also skate in ice shows, which run during the competitive season and the off-season.