LEVELS	TERMS	EQUIPMENT
Canskate        StarSkate	Jumps              Spins	Skates
Competitive	Other Ice Moves    Other Terms

Skating Levels (with links to Skate Canada and more information on each area)

CanSkate

Badges:

• Stage 1 - Balance

• Stage 2 - Glide Forward

• Stage 3 - Glide Backward

• Stage 4 - Edges

• Stage 5 - Power

• Stage 6 - Speed

• Stage 7 (optional) - Pre-Preliminary

Star Skate

Test Levels:  (Free Skate, Dance, Skills)

• Preliminary

• Junior Bronze     

• Senior Bronze

• Junior Silver

• Senior Silver

• Gold

Dances:   

Competitive Skate

Levels:

	Women	Men	Pairs	Dance
Pre-Juvenile (sectional Level  not National - can also compete at Star Skate Levels)	10 or under as of July 1	11 or under as of July 1	14 or under as of July 1	14 or under as of July 1
Juvenile	11 or under as of July 1	12 or under as of July 1	No age limits	No age limits
Pre-Novice	No age limits	No age limits	No age limits	No age limits
Novice	No age limits	No age limits	No age limits	No age limits
Junior	18 or under as of July 1	18 or under as of July 1	No age limits	18 or under as of July 1 for ladies and 20 or under as of July 1 for men
Senior	No age limits	No age limits	No age limits	No age limits

 

 

 

---

 

Skating Terms

Jumps:

• Waltz Jump:  Generally the first rotational jump that skaters learn. The skater takes off from a forward outside edge, completes 1/2 revolution in the air, and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot.

• Salchow Jump:  A jump in which the skater takes off from the back inside edge of the skating foot, rotates one rotation in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. Named after its originator, Ulrich Salchow.  Variations: double Salchow, triple Salchow, quadruple Salchow, one foot Salchow.

• Toe Loop Jump:  A toe jump in which the skater takes off from the back outside edge of the skating foot with assistance of the toe of the free foot and turns one rotation in the air, landing on the back outside edge of the take-off foot.  Variations: double toe loop, triple toe loop, quadruple toe loop.

• Loop Jump: A jump in which the skater takes off from the back outside edge of the skating foot, turns one rotation in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the take-off foot.  Variations: double loop, triple loop, 1/2 loop (a one rotation jump in which the skater lands on the back inside edge of the  opposite foot from take-off) 

• Flip Jump:  A toe jump in which the skater takes off from the back inside edge of the skating foot with assistance from the toe of the free foot, turns one rotation in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the original free foot.  Variations: double flip, triple flip.

• Lutz Jump:  A toe jump in which the skater takes off from the back outside edge of the skating foot with assistance of the free foot toe, rotates in the reverse direction one rotation in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot.   Variations: double Lutz, triple Lutz.

• Axel Paulsen:  The skater takes off from the forward outside edge of the skate, completes 11/2 revolutions in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. Named after its originator. Variations: double Axel, triple Axel, inside Axel, one-foot Axel.

 

---

Spins - (three main categories):

• Upright Spin:  A spin where a skater's body stays more or less vertical to the ice. This category includes one-foot spins, backspins, cross foot spins, and the layback spin. The layback spin is a spin primarily performed by female skaters (though more men are performing this difficult spin today) where the back is arched and the free leg is drawn up slightly.  Variations include the Bielman position (the skater catches the blade of the free foot in their hands and pulls the free-leg up over their head) and sideways leaning spin in which the skater arches to one side while maintaining an upright position.

• Sit Spin:  As the name indicates a sit spin is classified as any spin in which the skater's body is located close to the ice and the skating knee is bent to allow the skater to appear to be 'sitting'.  Variations include flying sit, flying change sit, sit change sit spin and more.

• Camel Spin:  A spin position in which the skater's body is horizontal to the ice except for the leg on which they are spinning.  Variations on this spin include a flying camel (change foot in air prior to start of spin) and death-drop (a dramatic flying entry). To increase the difficulty of a camel spin skaters will often perform a forward camel spin on an outside edge, or a back camel on an inside edge. Arm and leg position variations also increase the difficulty of spins and can be very effective from an aesthetic standpoint.

 

---

 

Other Ice Moves:

• Twizzle:  A traveling turn on one foot with one or more rotations which is quickly rotated with a continuous (uninterrupted) action.  The weight remains on the skating foot with the free foot in any position during the turn then placed beside the skating foot to skate the next step.

• Spread eagle: An element performed with both feet on the ice, the blades turned out with the heels pointing towards each other. It can be performed on inside edges or outside edges.

• Ina Bauer:  An element in which the skater skates with the blades parallel, with one blade on an outside edge, this leg bent, the other leg behind the skater with the blade on an inside edge.

• Spiral: A spiral is a glide on long edges in arabesque position in which the free leg is held equal to or higher than hip levels

• Choctaw:  A turn from forward to backward (or backward to forward) from one foot to the other in which the curve of the exit edge is in the opposite direction to the curve of the entry edge. The change of foot is from outside edge to inside edge or from inside edge to outside edge.

• Crosscuts:   A method of gaining speed and turning corners in which skaters cross one foot over the other. There are both forward and backward crossovers.

• Edges:  The two sides of the skate blade on either side of the grooved center. There is an inside edge — the edge on the inner side of the leg — and an outside edge — that on the outer side of the leg. There is a forward and backward for each edge, equaling a total of four different edges

• Footwork:  A sequence of step maneuvers carrying the skater across the ice in patterns — generally straight, circular or serpentine. Footwork is intended to show the precision and dexterity of the skater's movements.

• Mohawk:  A turn from forward to backward (or backward to forward), from one foot to the other, each edge forming parts of the same curve.

• Rocker:  A turn made on one foot from a forward to backward (or backward to forward) edge maintaining the same character, i.e., outside to outside or inside to inside.

• Stroking:  Fluid movement used to gain speed in which a skater pushes off back and forth from the inside edge of one skate to the inside edge of the other skate.

• Biellmann:  A catch-foot position where the free leg is pulled above the head from behind. Can be either a spin or a spiral position. By regulation, a spin becomes a Biellmann at the moment the skate passes over the level of the head. It is named after Denise Biellmann, who popularized the position.

• Bracket:  A one foot turn with a change of edge that results in a '}' shape traced on the ice.

• Cheated Jump:  A jump that was not fully rotated in midair, with either the first rotation starting on the ice or the final rotation finishing after the landing.

• Flutz: A portmanteau of "flip" and "Lutz", for an improperly executed lutz jump, where the outside take-off edge is mistakenly changed to an inside edge, making it a flip jump.

• Lunge:  A skating move in which one leg is bent sharply at the knee and the other is extended backwards in a straight line.

• Shoot-the-duck:  A skating position in which the skater bends low to the ice on their skating leg with the free leg extended in front. This is the basic position for a sit spin.

• Three turn:  A one foot turn with a change of edge that results in a '3' shaped tracing on the ice.

 

---

 

Other Skating Terms:

• E.O.S.:   Eastern Ontario Section of Skate Canada, includes skaters from all of Eastern Ontario as far west as Oshawa.  There are 13 sections in Canada, and 4 in Ontario. (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northern Ontario, Western Ontario, Central Ontario, Eastern Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.)

• Invitational Competitions: These are events coordinated by a Section or Club and offered, generally, to STARSkaters and competitive skaters.  Most events fall within Skate Canada's specifications regarding program length and eligibility to compete.

• E.O.S.I.C.:  Eastern Ontario Starskate Invitational Championships are held in early February and are open to all Starskaters whose home club is in the Eastern Ontario Section.  Events are held in Singles, Dance, Pairs, Triathlon, Biathlon, and Skills.  Competitive Skaters registered to compete in any event at the Novice or higher level at any Sectionals can not compete in any category at EOSIC.  Juvenile and Pre-Novice skaters can compete in categories at a Starskate level, other than the event competed at Sectionals.  Pre Juvenile skaters at Sectionals are eligible to compete in any discipline at EOSIC.  Top three placing in all singles, dance and pairs events qualify for Trillium Starskate.  Skills does not qualify for Trillium.  Tiathlon and Biathlon first place finishers qualify directly to National Starskate Championship

• Trillium Starskate.:  All Ontario Championship for Starskate, held in March.  This is the final level of competition for StarSkate in Singles, Dance and Pairs.  Skaters qualify by placing in the top three in their section's Invitational Championship.

• National Starskate Championships: National level championship for Triathlon and Biathlon winners from each section across Canada.

• Sectionals:  Sectionals are the first of the Skate Canada qualifying competitions.  There are 13 sections across Canada.  RSC belongs to the Eastern Ontario Section (EOS).  Skaters can compete in events from Juvenile to Senior.  Those who finish in the top four places in the Pre-Novice, Novice and Junior events are eligible to compete at Challenge (Canadian Qualifying Event (Eastern or Western)).  Juvenile champions qualify automatically for Junior Nationals and the top four Senior skaters qualify for Canadian Championships.  Sectionals takes place in November.

• The Challenge:  There are two Canadian Qualifying Events held each year - Eastern and Western. The Western event includes British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northern Ontario and Western Ontario. The Eastern event includes Central Ontario, Eastern Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. These events are held in December.  Junior skaters qualify through these events for  Canadian Championships and Pre-Novice and Novice skaters qualify for Junior Nationals.

• Junior Nationals:  Juvenile, Pre-Novice and Novice skaters compete at this national level event. It is typically held in January of each year, and is hosted by a different city. The first-place finishers from Juvenile at Sectionals and the top four Pre-Novice and Novice skaters from the Eastern and Western Challenges qualify to compete. The age of the competitors ranges from 10 - 17 years of age.

• Canadians:  The Canadian Championships are held every January in a different city. Competition is offered in singles, pair and ice dancing at the Junior and Senior levels. The Fours event is also offered.  Junior competitors qualify for this national event through the Canadian Qualifying Events, while Senior skaters qualify through their respective Sectional championship. Skaters who are representing Canada at international events at the time Sectionals or Qualifying Event are granted a "bye" to the Canadian event. In addition, skaters placing in the top three at the previous national championship at the Senior level, are granted a "bye" to the event.  After completion of the Championships, the Skate Canada Board of Directors selects the teams that will represent Canada at the ISU Junior World and World Figure Skating Championships as well as the ISU Four Continents team. Results from this event are also used to help determine what skaters will be on the Junior National and National teams

 

 

---

 

Skating Equipment:

Skates:

• Figure skates differ most visibly from hockey skates in having a set of large, jagged teeth called toe picks on the front of the blade.
• The toe picks are used primarily in jumping and should not be used for stroking or spins. Toe pick designs have become quite elaborate and sometimes include teeth on the sides of the blade.
• Figure skating boots were traditionally made by hand from many layers of leather.  Modern skating boots, are extremely rigid to support the foot and ankle in jumps, and are cut much lower -- just over ankle height -- to allow the foot to flex. Because the stiffness of the boots makes good fit essential, many skaters either order custom boots or have their boots "punched out" over pressure points.  Boots made of synthetic materials with heat-moldable linings have become popular because they combine strength with lighter weight than leather boots, and are easier to "break in". The latest development in boot technology is a boot that is hinged at the ankle to provide lateral support while allowing more flexibility.
• The skate blades are typically made of tempered steel, coated with a high-quality chrome.  Blades are about 3/16 inch (4 mm) thick and may have a slightly tapered cross-section.  When viewed from the side, the blade of a figure skate is not flat, but curved slightly, forming an arc of a circle.  The blade is also hollow ground; a groove on the bottom of the blade creates two distinct edges, inside and outside. In figure skating it is always desirable to skate on only one edge of the blade, never on both at the same time (which is referred to as a flat). The apparently effortless power and glide across the ice exhibited by elite figure skaters fundamentally derives from efficient use of the edges to generate speed.