2011 Governing Council Updates
NEWS
- (5/3/11) Hughes Talks About 'Making a Difference' at AAC Dinner
- (4/30/11) PSA honors St. Peter
- (4/30/11) Ladwig presents Swiegers with Sportsmanship Award
- (4/29/11) RISE revisited at 2011 Governing Council
UPDATES
The following items were among those approved at the 2011 Governing Council meeting. Details of the passing items will be available by May 11 on the Reports of Action home page.
BYLAW EXHIBITS
Reports of Action
301. The following officials received national appointments
- National Singles & Pairs Referee
- Janis Engel, Valencia, Calif.
- James Kawano, Narbert, Pa.
Gay Ann Louiselle, Coon Rapids, Minn.
Elliot Schwartz, West Roxbury, Mass.
- Marcia Chaffee, West Chester, Ohio
Whitney Luke, Columbus, Ohio
Goleen Samari, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Victoria Hildebrand, Williston, Vt.
- Ida Tateoka, Salt Lake City, Utah
Elaine DeMore, Cleveland, Ohio
Adult Pre-Bronze: replaced forward three turns with forward right and left foot spirals (moved from adult silver)
Adult Silver: replaced forward right and left foot spirals with consecutive outside and inside spirals (from preliminary)
Adult Gold: replaced inside slide chasse pattern with backward circle eight (from pre-juvenile)
304. APPROVED - Adult Skating Committee
Amended rule 3741 (page 251, Rulebook), rule 3751 (page 252, Rulebook) and rule 3761 (page 253, Rulebook) to reduce the maximum number of spins allowed in the championships masters junior-senior, masters senior and masters junior well-balanced free skate events from four to three.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
305. APPROVED - Adult Skating Committee
Amended rule 3746 (page 251, Rulebook), rule 3771 (page 253, Rulebook) and rule 3776 (page 254, Rulebook) to reduce the maximum number of jumps allowed in the championships masters intermediate-novice, masters novice and masters intermediate well-balanced free skate events from seven to six.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
306. APPROVED - Adult Skating Committee
Amended rule 3781 (page 255, Rulebook) to reduce the maximum number of jump elements allowed in the championship adult gold and adult gold well-balanced free skate events from six to five.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
307. APPROVED - Adult Skating Committee
Amended the Championships Masters Junior-Senior, Championship Masters Intermediate-Novice, Masters Senior, Masters Junior, Masters Novice, Masters Intermediate, Championship Adult Gold and Adult Gold well-balanced program requirements to allow the option of a choreographed step sequence or a choreographed spiral sequence.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
308. APPROVED - Adult Skating Committee
Amended the Championship Adult Pairs, Adult Masters Pairs and Adult Gold Pairs to allow the option of a choreographed step sequence or a choreographed spiral sequence.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
309. APPROVED - Adult Skating Committee
Revised the names, levels and requirements for adult interpretive events.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
310. APPROVED - Competitions Committee
Made the following changes to the qualifying competition structure:
- 1. Have the four best-placed competitors in the intermediate and juvenile singles events in each region qualify to enter the appropriate sectional championship.
2. Replace the current U.S. Junior Championships stand-alone event with a smaller national competition for juvenile and intermediate athletes held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
3. Have the four best-placed competitors in all intermediate and juvenile events (singles, pairs and ice dancing) from each section qualify to enter the national competition mentioned in item 2 above.
Implementation date: September 1, 2012
319. APPROVED - Competitions Committee
Updated the dance events at the U.S. Collegiate Championships.
- 1430 U.S. Collegiate Figure Skating Championships
1431 The U.S. Collegiate Figure Skating Championships
- C. Dance shall will consist of
324. APPROVED - Competitions Committee
Amended rule 2501 (A)(2) and (B)(1) (page 153, Rulebook) to add adult pre-gold dance to the list of events judged using the international judging system and remove it from the list of events judged using the 6.0 system at the U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships.
Implementation date: September 1, 2011
325. APPROVED - Competitions Committee
Amended rule 2501 (A)(2) and (B)(1) (page 153, Rulebook) to use the IJS system for championship, masters and gold levels of singles events at adult sectional championships.
Implementation date: September 1, 2011
342. APPROVED - Competitions Committee
Amended rule 3562 (page 219, Rulebook) to allow sequins, rhinestones or jeweled trim to be used in moderation by collegiate teams in addition to junior and senior teams.
Implementation date: September 1, 2011
344. APPROVED - Competitions Committee
Increased the age for juvenile to "under age 14 as of Sept. 1 prior to the regional championships."
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
345. APPROVED - Dance Committee
Amended rule TR 40.02 (A) (page 32, Tests Book) to allow solo dance track tests to qualify skaters for solo dance competitions.
Implementation date: September 1, 2011
346. APPROVED - Dance Committee
Amended rule TR 41.03 (B) (page 33, Tests Book) and added a new rule TR 49.09 [suggested number] (page 39, Tests Book to allow skaters to test selected international dances--Cha Cha Congelado, Rhumba, Silver Samba, Tango Romantica and Yankee Polka--as part of the solo dance track tests.
Implementation date: September 2, 2011
352. APPROVED - Dance Committee
Amended rule 4412 (page 313, Rulebook) to adjust the way novice pattern dances are judged to mirror the judging of the pattern dance elements in the junior and senior short dance.
Guidelines for evaluating the novice pattern dances:
- Four key points in each sequence/section of the dance will be assessed by the technical panel to establish the level of the whole sequence/section as one unit, and judges will give one GOE for the whole sequence/section.
- The key points will be taken into consideration by the technical panel to establish the level of each sequence/section of the dance.
- The key points will be determined by the ISU. If the ISU has not already assigned key points for a dance to be skated in an upcoming season, they will be determined by the U.S. Figure Skating Dance Committee.
- The key points and calling specifications will be announced at the Governing Council meeting prior to the start of the season.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
353. & 354. APPROVED - Dance Committee
Changed the lift requirements for the novice free dance and novice free dance test to: "one short lift and one long lift or three short lifts." If three short lifts are used, only one type of lift may be repeated.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
355. APPROVED - Dance Committee
Added a solo free dance test track for juvenile, intermediate, novice, junior and senior levels.
Implementation date: September 2, 2011
356. APPROVED - Judges Committee
Amend rule TR 49.03 (page 37, Tests Book) and JR 7.01 (B)(3)(a) (page 73, Rulebook) to allow a silver dance test judge to single panel bronze pattern dances.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
357. APPROVED - Pairs Committee
Amended rule 4061, Novice Pairs Short Program, (page 281, Rulebook) to alternate between the solo spin and the pair spin each season. The requirement for 2011-12 will be the pair spin.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
358. APPROVED - Pairs Committee
Amended rule 4061, Novice Pairs Short Program, (page 281, Rulebook), such that one step sequence will be required each year, and the spiral sequence will no longer be required in any season. (Currently the step sequence and spiral sequence alternate each year.)
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
359. APPROVED - Pairs Committee
Amended rule 4062, Novice Pairs Well-Balanced Free Skate, (pages 282-283, Rulebook), such that one spiral sequence will be required each year, and the step sequence will no longer be a requirement in any season. (Currently the step sequence and spiral sequence alternate each year.)
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
360. APPROVED - Pairs Committee
Amended rule 4071, Intermediate Pairs Well-Balanced Free Skate, (pages 283-284, Rulebook) to allow a pivot figure as an option for the death spiral element.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
362. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule 3662, Novice Ladies Short Program (steps), (page 242, Rulebook) to replace the fixed Base Value spiral sequence with a leveled step sequence.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
363. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule 3663, Novice Well-Balanced Free Skate (steps), (pages 242-243, Rulebook) to replace the option of a fixed Base Value spiral or a fixed Base Value choreographed step sequence with a leveled step sequence.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
364., 365. & 366. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended Intermediate Short Program, Intermediate Well-Balanced Free Skate and Juvenile/Open Juvenile Well-Balanced Free Skate to replace the leveled step sequence with a fixed Base Value choreographed step sequence.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
367. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule 3661, Novice Men Short Program (spins), (page 241, Rulebook) to require a change of foot in the camel or sit spin.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
368. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule 3672, Intermediate Well-Balanced Free Skate (spins), (page 244, Rulebook) to limit the number of spins to two. One spin must be a combination spin with at least one change of position, and one spin must be a spin in one position with no change of foot. Both spins may have a flying entry.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
369. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule TR 32.05, Intermediate Free Skate Test (spins), (page 20, Tests Book) to change the recommended spin requirement from three to two.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
370. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule 3681, Juvenile/Open Juvenile Well-Balanced Free Skate (spins), (page 245, Rulebook) to limit the number of spins to two. One spin must be a combination spin with at least one change of position, and one spin must be a spin in one position with no change of foot. Both spins may have a flying entry.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
371. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule TR 32.04, Juvenile Free Skate Test (spins), (page 20, Tests Book) to change the recommended spin requirement as follows:
TR 32.04 Juvenile Free Skate Test
- Spins:
2.
Men: Forward camel spin (minimum 4 revolutions in position)...
372. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule 3691, Pre-Juvenile Well-Balanced Free Skate (spins), (pages 245-246, Rulebook) to limit the number of spins to two. One spin must be a combination spin with at least one change of position (minimum six revolutions total), and one spin must be a spin in one position with no change of foot (minimum four revolutions). Both spins may have a flying entry.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
373. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule TR 32.03, Pre-Juvenile Free Skate Test (spins), (page 19, Tests Book) to change the recommended spin requirement as follows:
TR 32.03 Pre-Juvenile Free Skate Test
- Spins:
- 1. One camel spin (minimum 3 revolutions)
2. One combination spin: forward camel spin to forward sit spin, change of foot optional.
374. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended rule TR 32.02, Preliminary Free Skate Test (spins), (page 19, Tests Book) to change the one foot backspin to a front scratch to back scratch spin (minimum three revolutions on each foot, exit on spinning foot not mandatory).
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
376. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amend rule 3663, Novice Well-Balanced Free Skate (jump repetitions), (page 242, Rulebook) to allow one additional triple jump to be repeated for novice men and to limit each double (and triple) jump to appear no more than twice for novice men and novice ladies (i.e. can repeat as many doubles as they like, but each can appear no more than two times in a program).
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
377. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended the following levels to limit the number of jump combinations or jump sequences to a maximum of two:
- Juvenile/Open Juvenile Well-Balanced Free Skate
- Pre-Juvenile Well-Balanced Free Skate
- Preliminary Well-Balanced Free Skate
- Pre-Preliminary Well-Balanced Free Skate
- No Test Well-Balanced Free Skate
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
378. APPROVED - Singles Committee
Amended the following levels to limit the number of jumps in jump combinations to two jumps. The number of jumps in the jump sequence will remain unlimited:
- Juvenile/Open Juvenile Well-Balanced Free Skate
- Pre-Juvenile Well-Balanced Free Skate
- Preliminary Well-Balanced Free Skate
- Pre-Preliminary Well-Balanced Free Skate
- No Test Well-Balanced Free Skate
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
379. APPROVED - Synchronized Skating Committee
Amended rule 4681 (page 362, Rulebook) to give novice teams the option of choosing between a circle step sequence and a block step sequence in the novice well-balanced free skate requirements.
4681 Novice Well-Balanced Free Skate
- A well-balanced novice free skate must contain the following
- A. One block element
B. One circle element
C. One intersection element
D. One line element
E. One wheel element
F. One movement in isolation (one free skate move or one free skate element)
G. One no hold step sequence
I. One circle step sequence
H. One element selected from a block step sequence or a circle step sequence
380. APPROVED - Synchronized Skating Committee
Amended rule 4691 (page 362, Rulebook) to remove one intersection from the intermediate well-balanced free skate requirements.
4691 Intermediate Well-Balanced Free Skate
- A well-balanced intermediate free skate must contain the following nine eight elements:
- A. One block element
B. One circle element
C.
D. One line element
E. One wheel element
F. One movement in isolation (one free skate move or one free skate element)
G. One block step sequence
H. One circle step sequence
NEW BUSINESS FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
506. Submitted by Hal Marron, Technical Group Coordinator
Amended rule JR 6.01 (G)(5) (page 72, Rulebook) to allow gold singles/pairs test judges to judge all levels of singles and pairs events at nonqualifying competitions.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011
507. Submitted by Hal Marron, Technical Group Coordinator
Amended rule JR 7.01 (C)(4) (page 74, Rulebook) to allow gold dance test judges to judge all levels of ice dancing events at nonqualifying competitions.
Implementation date: June 1, 2011






















