I.S.U communication 1494 is now in effect

This communication came out in May 2008 and is already in effect in  Australia,  I had a quick look and here are some of the significant changes :-

Spiral sequence

The change of edge must be completed within 1 metre,  so rethink this feature unless it can be done very quickly,  in other words a long grinding edge will not do.

A new level feature has been added - hold a spiral for 6 seconds or more without any changes and that is now a level feature.  Also one of the level features for spirals has been removed,  "forward and backwards,  inside and outside edges,  3 positions",  this is no longer a level feature but it is a requirement if a level higher than 2 is sought.  So many existing spirals sequences dropped a level after May this year (2008),  so if your wondering why you received a level 3 or 4 earlier in the year and now you keep getting a level lower,  this is why.

Here is how to train for the change of edge spiral (these are the progressions):

1. Practice forward slaloms without swinging your arms or legs
2. Now do the forward slaloms with the free leg behind
3. Now do the forward slaloms in a spiral position
4. To execute the change of edge in 1 metre or less,  do the slalom where the change of edge is required,  for example,  if your spiral is on an forward inside edge : go onto a deeper inside edge and then slalom over to the outside edge quickly,  stay on the outside edge and you have just completed a change of edge spiral in less than 1 metre.

Jumps and Spins

There are many changes of values for jumps and spins,  a triple axel and a quad is now worth more (8.2 and 9.8),  so if you have kids with those jumps they will do better :)

Anyway lets get serious,  a camel spin is now worth 1.4 for level one,  up from 1.2,   a flying camel level 1 is up from 1.7 to 1.9,  a flying sit spin is up from 1.7 to 2.0,  the flying sit spin is not that hard to do and if the skater gets the sit spin position in the air they get a level feature,  so well worth trying.

 

Anyway not too many other big changes in 1494,  not like last year.