Compulsory Figures in Competition
Until 1947, competitors at figure skating events were required to skate a total of twelve figures (six different figures skated on both feet) which were worth 60% of the total score. With the increasing number of entrants, figures competitions (which were then skated outdoors) began to take a very long time, so in 1948 the number of figures was reduced to six (alternating left and right foot starts) while retaining their weight at 60%. This competition format continued until 1968.
Pressure to reduce the weight of compulsory figures began when the Olympic Games and other skating competitions began to be widely shown on television. Television coverage posed major problems to the compulsory figures for two reasons. They were not considered appealing to television audiences, with even the most ardent skating fans finding the completion of the figures, followed by seemingly microscopic analysis by the judges, to be tedious, and the general public held even less interest for the figures. In addition, skaters who excelled at compulsory figures were often not the most talented at free skating, but sometimes accumulated such a large lead from the school figures that they won the competitions overall. Such results would often leave general viewers stunned because they had watched only the free skating and had little or no knowledge of the compulsory figures.
A reform was undertaken to put more emphasis on the free skating. The first step was taken in 1968, when figures were reduced to 50% of the total score. In 1973, the number of figures was reduced from six to three, and a new element, the short program, was added to competitions. Seen as something intermediate between the full free skating program of four or five minutes and the compulsories, this two-minute program incorporated certain required elements of the free program which were judged on their technical merits. The short program combined a sense of mandatory elements and a presentation that could be of interest to a television audience and paying live spectators. The short program added more "watchable" activity to a figure skating competition, and was considered by most to be hugely successful.
| "In my opinion, the quality of skating itself (not jumping) has gone down. Figures taught how to use edges, like Robin Cousins and Brian Boitano still do, that with a couple of pushes they can get across the whole rink, you don't see that with the new skaters." |
| —1984 Olympic bronze medalist Jozef Sabovčík speaking in 2003 on the effect of the elimination of figures. |
From the 1973 to 1975 seasons, the weights of compulsory figures, short program, and free skating were 40%, 20%, and 40%, respectively. From 1976 to 1988, this changed to 30%, 20%, and 50%; and then to 20%, 30%, and 50% in the 1989 and 1990 seasons. Compulsory figures were eliminated entirely from international competition after 1990. Opponents of figures said that this skill was not necessary for freeskating, and held back talented skaters such as Janet Lynn and Midori Ito. Supporters of figures felt that they had instilled discipline and produced higher quality of basic skating technique.
Today, compulsory figures are no longer a major competitive event and few competitive skaters have the interest to learn how to do them. Some adult recreational skaters, however, still find pleasure in the control and mental stamina required to master figures and the ISI (Ice Skating Institute) still holds competitions and events that require multiple levels of proficiency. Compulsory figures also remain a part of artistic roller skating.
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