News

The ISU launches a new online project for synchro teams


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Ice Ignite Junior - CAN (Credits: Sean McKinnon - 2020)

The ISU Synchronized Skating Technical Committee provides an opportunity for international and championship synchronized skating teams to have several synchro elements evaluated by ISU and international officials prior to the upcoming competition season. The "Online Element Evaluation" project has been presented on Monday. We tell you everything!

Synchro teams will have the opportunity of being evaluated by a panel of ISU judges showing synchro elements virtually.

Offered and arranged by the ISU Synchronized Skating Technical Committee (ISU SySTC), the "Online Element Evaluation" project will allow teams to receive feedback from ISU judges and officials.

What is it about?
Junior and Senior teams, that have competed internationally during past seasons, are invited to participate in the project. The ISU invites them to submit up to three different elements from either the Short and/or Free Program. One element must be the No Hold Element (NHE). The remaining two elements are of the teams/coaches' choice, explains the ISU.

Teams will be required to send a good quality video of the element(s), taken from a slightly elevated position. The optimal location of the videographer would be where the technical panel is usually seated during a competition.

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Who evaluate the video(s)?
The panels of judges comprised of ISU and international officials. The ISU SySTC will designate them. Each panel of judges will include one referee from the technical committee plus up to seven judges from different ISU Members.

The officials will work independently, only awarding Grades of Execution (GOE) to the elements submitted for review. A common debriefing with the judges will be done at the end of their evaluations to provide participating officials with an opportunity to practice their evaluation skills for the upcoming season and to ask questions about the current rules, writes the ISU.

Technical panels, comprised of ISU and international officials, will also be designated by the ISU SySTC. Each technical panel will include one technical controller and two technical specialists. The technical panel will work independently first and then meet online to reach a consensus on element levels and remarks. "A debriefing will also be done during this on-line meeting to discuss and ensure a common understanding of the current Element requirements and Rules," the ISU explains.

Judging panel GOE marks and Technical Panel levels will be entered on-line within a specific timeframe. No overall results will be published. A debriefing of the "On-line Element Evaluations" will be scheduled for each participating coach/team. The referee and a member of the technical Panel, both from the technical committee, will participate in each individual on-line meeting and will provide a summary of comments from the technical panel and judges evaluations for each element submitted.


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Marigold IceUnity - FIN (Credits: S.J.Photos - 2019)

What's the process to submit video(s)?
First of all, the teams have to choose up to three different elements (NHE is mandatory for all teams). Then, the elements(s) have to be filmed from the judge/technical panel side of the rink (approximately at center ice). The camera must remain in one place and remain stationary during the recording and all skaters must be filmed at all times. The ISU asks to use the landscape orientation.

The teams also have to ensure the music is clear since the judges require music to evaluate GOE, and that the lighting on the ice-surface is at competition level. If possible, the ISU also asks to record the entry and exit transition of the element.

Teams will then have to separate video files and label each video separately (see details below). To upload the video(s), participants will receive an invitation from the ISU to upload the video(s). A technical panel and judges will be assigned to the dropbox and will only have the ability to view and evaluate the videos.

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How to register for this project?
By email! The teams who want to register for the "Online Element Evaluation" must send a email to the Chair of the SySTC Mr. Philippe Maitrot and Ms. Lois Long, Member of the SySTC. The email must contain the name of the team(s), the name and email address of the coach, the category (Senior/Junior), and the number of elements to be evaluated.

Don't miss the deadline!
Registrations for the "On-Line Element Evaluation" project must be received by November 1, 2020.

For Junior teams: Submission of videos is November 9-15, 2020. (videos for Junior teams received after November 15, 2020 will not be accepted).

– Evaluation of the Junior category: November 16-22, 2020

– Debriefing of the Junior category: November 23-29, 2020

For Senior teams: Submission of videos is November 23-29, 2020. (Videos for Senior teams received after November 29, 2020 will not be accepted).

– Evaluation of the Senior category: November 30 – December 6, 2020 

– Debriefing of the Senior category: December 7-13, 2020.

Late registration and/or video submissions will not be accepted, notes the ISU.


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Team Phoenix - BEL. (Credits: Mario Huth - 2019)

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Learn more and find out all details about the project on the ISU official website.