The following is commentary on spins being done under the IJS by Jackie
Wong of the Examiner.


Broken legs, crossfoots, and mid-flies.
One of the biggest complaints about the post-6.0 judging system at the outset was the general ugliness of the spins – everyone is doing some awful change-of-edge variation, there were too many badly-done Biellmanns, there was a spin position every half second, etc. One thing you can’t fault the ISU for is the continued improvement on the system such that issues like these are addressed

We have seen steady improvements every season. Spin positions are now being held longer, skaters aren’t doing change-of-edge spins on every position, Biellmanns have been limited. The increased attention on spins really have made spins better and more difficult across the board (not that I’m saying that everyone is a great spinner). Just anecdotally, I do feel like spins are faster and better centered these days than they used to be.

And this season, we are seeing some more interesting evolution on spins. Skaters are now doing flying positions mid-spin, which requires a good deal more energy to do. There are more broken-leg sit spins and crossfoot scratch spins (which is much more difficult than it looks). In a way, we are returning to what spins looked like before the 90s, when it seemed like spins were almost an afterthought (did Chen Lu ever really take the concept of a sit spin seriously?), except they are now faster and more difficult.
For those who continue to disparage everything that is IJS, I challenge you to compare the condition of spins in 2011 with the condition of spins in 1996. IJS vs. 6.0 is not a black-and-white issue, and returning to the 6.0 system should not be a panacea.


I was encouraged in reading this commentary in that it appears that the ISU is paying attention to some of the elements and trying to make improvements, although how they score jumps, combinations, etc. is still very puzzling. Spins are a very important part of a skater's program and the better they are executed and the more varied they are, the better the program is as a whole. Spins were elements that helped Evan win the Olympics over Plushenko's wonky looking positions, so I am glad to see that they are improving. However, I agree with Peter Carruthers on Universal Sports that the spin where the man is bent over at the waist, holding on to the skate that is spinning, with the free leg just hanging there (I hope I have described it right), is downright ugly and unattractive, but apparently earns points. I guess it might be called a bent over one foot spin? I guess it earns more points than an upright spin because the skater is bent over and that can slow the spin down. I love Evan's shot gun spin that he always does at the end of his programs. I would think that would earn more points because it is an upright spin with the free leg extended and one arm over his head. All of that could slow the spin down, but we know that doesn't happen with Evan. And his spins are always so perfectly centered. I remember the days when his spins were perfectly centered in exhibition skates because he didn't have to be changing edges, etc. But now they are centered regardless of what he is doing. That is what a Champion does!

ITA with Peter about that bent-over-spin-thing alot of the guys do. It's butt-ugly. No pun intended! :lol2: