1. Figure Skating in the Winter Olympics

2. International Skating Union (ISU) The ISU is a governing body of all ice skating. It was formed to create international rules and regulations for the different ice skating events it rules. It doesn’t control the Winter Olympics, but its scoring system is used to determine who goes to the Olympics as well as different world championships.

3. Figure Skating Jumps Jumps are classified by how many revolutions are made and how the skater takes off. Most skaters jump and spin counter-clockwise. Jumps are either edge jumps (taking off without any help from the other foot) or toe jumps, in which the toe of the free foot hits the ice and helps vault the skater in the air and spin the required number of times. In pair figure skating, other jumps that are required include a throw jump and side-by-side jumps.

4. Figure Skating Spins Spins are required in the Olympics. There are three categories of spins. They are upright spins, sit spins and camel spins. Each category has variations of the spins. In pair figure skating, skaters can perform side-by- side spins, where skaters do the same spin next to each other, and pair spins, where skaters hold onto each other and spin.

5. Requirements for Short Program Each skater must try to do 1 combination jump, 2 solo jumps, 3 spins and 2 skating sequences. Each skating pair must try to do 2 lifts and 1 of each of the following: side-by-side jump, side-by-side spin, throw jump, pair spin, step sequence and death spiral.

6. Requirements for Free Program Men must try to do 8 jumps, 3 spins and 2 step sequences. Women must try to do 7 jumps, 3 spins, 1 step sequence and 1 spiral sequence. Pairs must do 4 lifts, 4 jumps, 3 spins (including 1 death spiral), 1 step sequence, and 1 spiral sequence.

7. Judging System The ISU judging system replaced the old 6.0 system in 2004 and is used in the Winter Olympics. There are 12 judges on 1 figure skating panel. Marks are awarded for each skating element. A specialist identifies the element and then uses instant replay to ensure each element is done correctly. Then the element is given a score from -3 to 3. This is a judging panel that a judge will use to mark the skater’s element.

8. Judging System Cont’d The mark was averaged by randomly selecting 9 judges and removing the highest and lowest values in those 9. The rest are averaged out to get the score for that element. Now, however, only 5 judges determine the score of the element. Of course, skaters can get deducted for things like falls and not doing the step right. Skaters are also judged on skating skills, transitions, performance/execution, choreography, and interpretation

9. Old Judging System Figure skating used to be judged by a system called the 6.0 system. It was replaced by the ISU judging system in 2005 Skaters were judged on specific elements and were awarded points from 0.0 to 6.0. The system was changed after a scandal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics caused many people to complain violently.

10. Works Cited "Figure Skating Jumps." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2010.. "Figure Skating Spins." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc., 8 Feb. 2010. Web. 9 Feb. 2010.. "International Skating Union." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc., 30 Jan. 2010. Web. 2 Feb. 2010.. "ISU Judging System." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc, 7 Feb. 2010. Web. 9 Feb. 2010.. "6.0 System." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc., 19 Jan. 2010. Web. 25 Feb. 2010.. "2002 Olympic Winter Games Figure Skating Scandal." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc., 24 Feb. 2010. Web. 25 Feb. 2010..