Compulsory Figures - ISI-specific Figures

ISI-specific Figures

In an apparent attempt to make figures more interesting, the Ice Skating Institute includes in its highest test level a number of figures from outside the ISU standard rulebook:

• "Rocker Double Three" is essentially a "rocker" (ISU 20-21) with "double-three" (ISU 10-13, 28-29, 36-37) outer lobes
• "Paragraph Bracket Loop," is a figure with a one full-size lobe, with a bracket turn, and one loop-size lobe, with a loop
• "Loops to the Outside" has two loop-sized lobes (with the loops skated outside the lobes instead of inside) on either end of a full-sized central lobe
• "The Flower," which has four loop-sized lobes (again, with the loops on the outside of the lobes) enclosed (at the 0, 90, 180, and 270 degree points) within a large outer lobe, with alternating three and bracket turns (at the 45, 135, 225, and 315 degree points).

The ISI has also offered "creative figure" and "free figure" events, in which the skaters skate figures of their own design (which must be submitted to the judges in advance, on paper). They differ from each other mainly in judging emphasis.

In ISI testing and competitions, figures are treated as completely separate and independent events from free-skating events, with their own separate test levels and awards. There is no requirement for ISI skaters to enter both free-skating events and figure events, and relatively few do so.

Further ISI-Specific figure information, including diagrams of ISI-specific figures, can be found in the ISI Skaters & Coaches Handbook, available at many ice rink shops, and also directly from the ISI.