They also curve round to one side in order to assist with turns on the ice. Figure skating requires high levels of athleticism, years of training. A Grade of Execution (GoE) is calculated, and then a Scale of Value Table is used to turn this grade into an overall mark. So, let’s end the battle, understand their competition, and appreciate their hard work!

There is also an artistic element to the sport that makes it stand out among sports, but does not stop it being a sport. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "sportstuffscom-20"; Ice dance is a sport. Certain types of music are not permitted, and costumes cannot contain “excessive decoration” or be considered as too revealing. An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others. It depends on. We did a study and got some honest (and quite valid!)

So those of you who think Ice Dancing should not be part of the Olympics are wrong as well. No sport receives as much subjective judgment as figure skating does.

Before starting the article, let’s clear some doubts about figure skating.

The performance is judged on the unison, the style that the program is skated in, the way that the skater carries them self. 2009/2010 Figure Skating Junior Grand Prix, 2009/2010 Figure Skating Senior Grand Prix, 2010 Olympics Figure Skating Qualification, Pairs Figure Skater Raising Arm Lift Partner, Pairs Skater waiting for her to Come Back Down. What do you think? This in my opinion is a nonsense, because the judges scores are directly pitted against your rivals. The quantifiable part, where levels of difficulty are examined and the levels of achievement are judged along side are quite predictable. Then often back onto the ice, sometimes several times. There are people out there that would argue that figure skating is not a sport because of the subjectivity of part of the scoring. For ice dancing, athletes usually have slightly shorter blades on the base of their shoes, with slightly different design to accommodate step-work rather than jumping. We all have to agree that any sport or activity like gymnastics or skating, etc. This is no different from an umpire determining in baseball if a pitch is a ball or a strike, or a football referee calling clipping, holding, illegal motion. Another argument is based on the misunderstanding that because the winner is based on who the judges pick and not a score, figure skating is not a sport. Synchronized skating is a sport.

Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on Ice. If we wind the clock back 40 years, you still didn’t win if you didn’t get the points. Being a figure skater doesn’t directly make you flexible. If anywhere, this subjective part of the scoring is where the ‘objective’ scoring believers would argue that figure skating is an art form not a sport. It seems that points can still be awarded for a technically difficult program that is beautiful and elegant. Most of the time, a figure skater will be on one leg or another, over a bent knee, supporting all of their body weight.

The Russians won the gold, but after an investigation, the Canadians had their silver medals upgraded to gold.

How are points taken off you (reductions). The very nature of the Olympics is all that is the best in sport. Thousands of hours on ice, many falls and a dedication that comes with a true passion for the sport.

A Pan-Hellenic festival in ancient Greece consisting of athletic games and contests of choral poetry and dance, first celebrated in 776 b.c. Russia and Austria are the closest rivals with 26 and 20 medals, respectively.