World Figure Skating: Championship, Figure Skating Equipment

Figure skating is an event where individuals and couples compete to try to perform stunning elements accurately while skating to music. Figure skating is an official event in the Winter Olympics. The major competitions in figure skating are individual men’s and women’s competitions, pairs skating, ice dancing and precision skating. International figure skating requires skaters to perform a short program that includes mandatory jumps, spins and steps, and then a longer program that allows more artistic freedom, both set to music. Judging the world has always been a subject of controversy. The International Skating Union has launched a new system of judging called the Code of Points for the season of 2004.

There are four Olympic Figure Skating events - ladies singles, men's singles, pairs, and ice dancing. The singles event has of two sections:

Judges deduct points for a program that consists of too many or too few jumps, so a balance must be maintained.

The pairs’ event also has a short program and free skating. The couple work as a unit, demonstrating overhead lifts, throw-jumps with the man launching his partner, and other maneuvers that require harmony, strength and grace.

Ice dancing quite is similar to ballroom dancing. The focus is on the complex steps in time with the music, with the skaters maintaining contact with each other, limiting lifts and jumps. Ice dancing has three sections:

There are two categories of jumps in figure skating: toe jumps and edge jumps. There are six key jumps in figure skating. They are distinguished by the different take offs, as all six are landed on a right back outside edge.

The number of rotations performed in the air for each jump determines whether the jump is a single, double, triple, or quad. Male skaters usually perform triples and quads as their main jumps, while female skaters perform all the triples except the axel, which is usually double. Jumps can be performed singly, in combination or in sequence. For a set of jumps to be considered a combination, each jump must take off from the landing edge of the previous jump, with no change of edge in between jumps. Jump sequences are sets of jumps that may involve changes of edge between the jumps.

Figure Skating Equipment
The following parts comprises a figure skating equipment :

Toe Picks
Teeth are cut into the toe of the blade and are used for pushing off in jumps and as the pivot point during spins.

Blade
A modern blade has a very slight curve, equal to the radius of 180-220 cm. The blade is sharpened to produce a flat or concave cross section. The bottom quarter inch of the blade is made from time-tempered steel to maintain a sharp edge.

Heel
Different figure skaters prefer different heel sizes. Ice dancers often wear high heels, which push their body weight forward onto the balls of their feet for deeper edges and better control of quick steps and changes of direction.

Hollow
The groove down the middle of the bottom of a figure skate blade is called the hollow. Finely ground edges on either side of the hollow provide control and speed. The depth of the hollow varies depending on the skater's event, weight and style.

Boots
Olympic figure skaters wear boots that are custom-made for each foot and heavily reinforced with thick, stiff leather interiors and extra ankle bracing. Figure skates are made with wide tongues, with rubber or sponge padding for flexibility. Skates should be tied tightly to afford maximum control.

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