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Figure Skating Glossary

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O R S T W

accountant: The official who compiles scores from judges and computes placements.
Axel: Named for Axel Paulson, the 1908 Gold Medalist who invented it, this is a jump on which the skater takes off from the forward inside edge and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. There are single, double, and triple versions.

camel: A spin performed on one leg, while the skater's other leg is extended in the air, parallel to the ice.
closed draw: A draw in which the referee draws numbers from a container, in the presence of judges, to determine skating order for an event. See also open draw.
combination spin: An extended maneuver made up of two or more spins, during which the skater must change feet and positions while maintaining speed.
crossover: A method of turning corners and gaining speed on which the skater crosses one foot over the other.

death spiral: In pairs skating, a difficult and crowd-pleasing move in which the male holds his partner's hand and pulls her in a circle around him; the female glides on one foot, with her body nearly horizontal to the ice.
double Axel: An Axel on which the skater performs 2 1/2 revolutions.
draw: The method of determining the skating order for an event. See also closed draw and open draw.

edge: Each skate blade has two edges, one on each side of the groove in the center, the inside edge and the outside edge, and each edge is divided into two sections, forward and back. On most maneuvers, specific edges are supposed to be used. For example, the specifications for the Axel call for a takeoff from the forward inside edge and a landing on the back outside edge of the opposite foot.
edge jump: Any jump on which the skater takes off from an edge of the skating foot without assistance from the other foot; for example, the Axel, loop, and Salchow.

flip: A jump, made with the assistance of the toe pick, on which the takeoff is from the back inside edge of one foot and the landing is on the back outside edge of the other.
flying camel: A combination move, a jump spin on which the skater lands in the camel position.
flying sit spin: A combination move on which the skater performs a jump spin, assumes the sitting position in mid-air, and continues with a sit spinafter landing.
free: At any given moment, a skater is usually skating on one foot and the other is called the free foot. By extension, every other part on that side of the body is called "free," as free shoulder, free hip, free side, etc.
free skating: A portion of the competition, 4 or 5 minutes long, in which the skater performs movements, including jumps and spins, that are choreographed to background music.

layback spin: A spin on which the back is arched and the head and shoulders lie back.
lift: Any move in pairs skating in which the male skater lifts his partner off the ice. In the most spectacular lift, he holds her above his hand with one hand.
loop: A type of edge jump on which the skater takes off from and lands on the same back outside edge.
Lutz: Named for inventor Alois Lutz, this is a jump on which the skater, while moving in a backward curve, uses the toe pick to rotate in the opposite direction, taking off from a back outside edge and landing on the other back outside edge.

open draw: A draw in which the skaters themselves determine skating order by drawing numbers from a closed pouch.

referee: The official who has over-all charge of competition and serves as chairperson of the judges' panel.

Salchow: Invented by Ulrich Salchow, an edge jump on which skater takes off from the back inside edge of one foot and lands on the back outside edge of the other.
single Axel: An Axel on which the skater performs 1 1/2 revolutions.
sit spin: A spin on which the skater "crouches" close to the ice, with the skating leg bent and the other leg extended to the side.
spiral: Any move on which the skater glides along the ice on one skate, with the non-skating leg in the air to the rear.
spiral sequence: A series of spirals on which the skater traces a pattern over the ice.
starting order: The sequence in which skaters will compete, as determined by the draw.
step sequence: A series of steps done in rapid succession in time to the music.
stroking: A method of gaining speed, seemingly without effort, by pushing off the inside edges in alternation.

throw: A pairs skating move in which the male lifts his partner and throws her away from him. She continues the move with a mid-air spin, landing on one foot.
toe loop: A jump, assisted by the toe pick, on which the skater takes off from a back outside edge and lands on the same edge.
toe pick: Teeth at the front of each skate blade, often used to assist in jumps and spins.
toe rakes: Same as toe picks
toe wally: A toe loop on which the takeoff is from the back inside edge instead of the outside edge.
trace: The line formed by the skater's blade on the ice.
triple Axel: An Axel on which the skater performs 3 1/2 revolutions.
twist: In pairs skating, a spectacular move in which the male lifts and his throws his partner, then catches her on landing after she has performed a double or triple twist in the air.

waltz: A simple jump, for beginners, in which takeoff is from the forward outside edge and the landing is on the back outside edge of the other foot, after a half revolution in the air.

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