All ages. All levels. All figures.
This was the basic premise behind the "All-Figures Open Competition" that was held at the Lloyd Center Ice Rink in Portland, OR July 25-26, 2009.
Sponsored by the Oregon Skating Council, we wanted to create a competition where anyone, regardless of age, test level or experience, could compete any figure, and as many figures as they wanted. There would be no pressure to do a figure that a person basically couldn't do just to fit into a prescribed "category" - and no test level requirements to get hung up on - I mean, just because you passed your 8th figure test "way back then" - why shouldn't you be able to compete a figure you could do "NOW" - maybe as much as 30 (or, in some cases) 40 years later?
We weren't sure how to really set this up - very few rinks actually have "patch sessions" anymore and very few coaches are teaching figures per se, except maybe in the context of teaching moves. But we kind of knew there were little pockets of people around the country doing and testing figures still - finding time during empty morning public or freestyle sessions - grabbing a little piece of ice here and there to enjoy learning the basics of what skating is all about - compulsory figures!
Here in Portland two of the rinks offered "Figures class" in the months before the competition. At the Lloyd Center Ice Rink the Oregon Skating Council reserved "summer training ice" on Tuesday evenings for 3 months - the first hour of which was a "patch session" for practicing figures on your own private strip of ice, just like in "the old days". Any coach, regardless of rink affiliation, could come and teach, and one of the Lloyd Center coaches made herself available for lessons/consultations during the sessions.
In April I was thrilled to get an email from a skater in Seattle, letting me know that there were 4 skaters in the area who were getting ready to compete. I was thrilled to know that people were excited about the competition and wanted to come. A month later I got another email from a skater who had just moved to Seattle and had heard about the competition. Interest was certainly starting to build!
In setting up the competition, we did feel a need to have a "Restricted" category - but the "Restricted" category was for skaters who had not passed any test beyond the 1st Figure test or it's equivalent. In the "retricted" category the skater had the option of having circles "scribed" on the ice. A "Creative Figure" was also offered in the "Restricted" group - a skater could make up their own figure and would be judged on creativity and execution of the figure.
In the "Open" category, all figures plus the special category of "Creative Figure" were offered. The figure events were put into groups such as "Brackets" "Back Loops" "One Foot Eight" - meaning the skater could choose which foot to start on, and also chose whether they wanted to do inside or outside edge starts. Everyone could choose which figure within the given category they could be most comfortable. The whole idea was just to have fun, skate the figures you wanted to skate no matter what your level. Very inclusive!!
The competition took place over two very early mornings at the Lloyd Center Ice Rink. The rink is a small mall rink with skylight lighting (which proved to be a hinderance to some of the skaters, what with the sun glare and all). It started with 3 skaters in the "Restricted Forward Outside 8" event and quickly moved on to Open Forward Three to Backward 3 (from the 2nd figure test, for those who follow these things). All five of the judges who volunteered to judge the competition judged all of the events. And I did not hear one complaint!!
The largest event was the Open Forward Serpentine Event, with a total of 6 skaters - some of whom had tested and others who had never tested figures. The winner of this event, Aziza Jappie, is a younger competitor (I believe she is 16 or 17), who has her Senior Moves but until last year had never seen or done figures. I thought it was great that despite her lack of experience, she prevailed in this event against her somewhat more seasoned (on many levels!) competitors! After the event Aziza was overheard saying that she wished she had done figures before doing Moves because she would have understood conceptually what she was asked to do in Moves and would have passed them quicker. I thought that was great!!
On Sunday, the rest of the Open events occured. The highest level figure skated was the One-Foot Eight with three skaters in this event. The judges had a great time examining all of the figures and determining the winners and rankings. As the judges left the ice after the final figure, they applauded the skaters for a job well done. I think they had just as good a time as the skaters!! They certainly seemed thrilled to be there!
In all there were 15 competitors, 15 events and 39 starts. 3 skaters were "kids" (teenagers) and 12 were adults who had mostly tested figures when they were younger. One-third of the skaters came from the Seattle Area. Each of the "kids" won one or more of their events. One skater competed 5 figures total and another skater only skated one. Everyone had a great time and are starting to prepare for next year. Hopefully we will hold this competition next year. Maybe we will be able to attract more competitors. And now we know what we are doing!! And that it worked!
If we build it, they will come has to be our motto!
