Igor Chinyaev: Let there be one more kind of program “extreme jump”
Recently fsrussia.ru published an interview with Igor Chinyaev, former Russian skater, now a coach and choreographer (he did programs for Zabijako/Enbert) who has been living in Canada for 18 years.
link to the original interview
This part seemed interesting for me:
Igor Chinyaev: Today in figure skating there is a situation that discourages someone and in some ways even hampers the development of the discipline. On the one hand, some athletes almost mastered a full set of quadruple jumps. But at the same time, there are many countries which don’t have necessary conditions for work, to make it possible even to come closer to this level. There are two different worlds. And those who are lagging behind will lose motivation.
On the other hand, jumps are craving for development, for going beyond human capabilities. I think that this trend will develop. I believe that someone is trying and maybe already landing a quadruple axel. Someone will rush at quinary.
But figure skating is not just about jumps. It has always been a spectacular sport. One of its strengths are choreography, emotionality. It has always worked, and it’s foolish to leave this behind. Yes, “artistry” is not easy to judge, these are subjective things, and judging has always been the Achilles’ heel of figure skating.
But that’s not really the point I’m talking about. I’m talking about what can be changed or added to our sport. If, for example, we cancel skills, then everything will be leaded to acrobatics. However, even with the crazy complexity of acrobatic elements, not so many viewers come to watch these competitions. Perhaps, it is necessary to think and invent such a discipline or kind of competitions as “extreme jump”. To add jumps with twists, not acrobatic, but entertaining, and this will generate some heat for fans and sponsors. Let there be one more kind of the program where it is possible to combine traditional elements of figure skating with new tricks. Why not? To make figure skating developing as a sport, we must look for new forms and keep pace with the times.
What do you think?
Related topics: interview
I’m not sure whether it is a good idea, such a discipline may be entertaining, but what about athlets’ health? I mean that programs with e.g. four quads are very exhausting and to add to it more tricks? I’m afraid that it could put athlets in more danger that they already are.
Well, I guess the progress can’t be stopped. We don’t know yet which harm all those 4-5 quads will cause to skaters health, but whom it stops now?(
I think better idea is to make this “extreme jump” as another discipline of figure skating, not just another program.