Determinant analysis and developing evaluation indicators of grade of execution score of double axel jump in figure skating.

A figure skating jump score is determined by the sum of the base value based on the difficulty and grade of execution (GOE) that indicates the performance quality. Therefore, performing a high-quality jump to obtain a high GOE is essential to win a competition. However, the relationship between the GOE and kinematic parameters remains unclear. We analysed the horizontal distance, vertical height, and landing speed of double axel jumps in the Ladies' Short Program at the 2019 World Championships. The highest GOE group had significantly larger horizontal distances than the middle and lower groups, while the landing speed and vertical height were not significantly different. A principal component regression analysis was conducted to clarify the contrast between the three variables affecting the GOE. The results showed that greater horizontal distance and landing speed compared to vertical height (component 1) and greater horizontal distance compared to landing speed (component 3) contributed to higher GOE. We divided skaters into four clusters using these two components and provided general GOE acquisition strategies for each cluster. Finally, to apply our results to the industry, we proposed two new evaluation indicators which are highly correlated with the two components and easy to interpret.

Creating performance benchmarks for the future elites in speed skating.

Sports performance benchmarks useful to select and guide future elites are limited in literature. The present study introduces a method to enable comparison between sports performance of different generations and creates performance benchmarks for the future elites in speed skating. 1500 m Season Best Times (SBT) of Dutch skaters (1043 females, 1812 males, age 13-26 years), who competed in at least six seasons between 1993 and 2013, were corrected for the prevailing world record (WR): rSBT=(SBT/WR)*100%. Regression analyses showed that the calendar year affected SBT (p<0.01), but not rSBT (p>0.05). Based on rSBT, performance groups were defined: elite (rSBT<110%), sub-elite (110%125%). Benchmarks were based on the slowest rSBT per age of the elite group. Of the total skaters performing within the elite benchmarks, the elite performance group represented <20% up to age 16 and <50% up to age 21. An out of sample group (n=299) confirmed the usability of the benchmarks. So, by correcting time-trial performance for the prevailing WR, elite performance benchmarks can be made based on multiple generations of elite skaters. The benchmarks can be used to select and guide future elite skaters from age 13-26 years.

O segredo do sucesso: apontamentos sobre a trajetória social de skatistas profissionais / El secreto del succeso: apuntes sobre la trayectoria social de skatistas profesionales / The secret of success: notes on the social trajectory of professional skaterboarders

Este artigo aponta, a partir de casos concretos, para elementos acerca da trajetória social de skatistas que lograram estar no subuniverso dos patrocínios. Em se tratando de skate, isso significa praticamente a única possibilidade de profissionalização. São considerados detalhes da constituição e do funcionamento do campo do skate em sua totalidade e da vida dos informantes, de seu caminho para incorporar disposições e capitais válidos no contexto do skate. Os dados utilizados são provenientes de técnicas de pesquisa como a entrevista semiestruturada, a observação participante e a coleta de documentos.

The aim of this article is to look at specific real life cases of the social trajectory of skateboarders, who managed their skateboarding career whilst not being in the mainstream of sponsorship. In skateboarding sponsorship is almost the only viable means to be professionally and thus financially stable. This study is done by taking into consideration: the ins and outs of the skateboarding world, the lives of the people involved in the sport, and the means with which they exercise and manage their chosen profession. The data utilized is derived from techniques of research such as: semi structured interviews, participant observation and document-based research.

Este articulo trata de levantar, apartir de hechos concretos, elementos acerta de la trayectoria social de skatistas que lograron estar en el submundo de los patrocinios. Eso significa practicamente la unica posibilidad de profesionalización. Son considerados detalles de la constituición y del funcionamiento de la rama del skate en su totalidad y de la vida de los informantes y de su camino para incorporar disposiciones y capitales validos en el contexto del skate, los datos utilizados son provenientes de técnicas de pesquisa como la entrevista semiestructurada, las observaciones participantes y la colecta de documentos.

The "coherent majority average" for juries' evaluation processes.

I propose a method to synthesize the performance scores for artistic sports such as rhythmic gymnastics, figure skating, synchronized swimming, and diving by taking into account inter-judge variability, while maintaining all the reliable scores. This procedure is based on the assumption that the majority of the scores in each event are reliable and they relate well to those scores that are closest to them. The method consists of putting scores in order and considering clusters of m consecutive scores, where m is the number of judges making up the simple majority. For each cluster, the difference between the highest and the lowest score is calculated. In cases where the minimum difference is positive, the arithmetic mean of those scores that belong to clusters where the difference is minimal is computed. In cases where the minimum difference is zero (i.e. if the majority of judges unanimously assign the same score), then the set of the scores to consider within the mean is extended to those scores that are very near to those of the majority of the judges. A comparison between the actual evaluation procedures and the proposed model is provided.

Evaluating judge performance in sport.

Many sports, such as, gymnastics, diving, ski jumping, and figure skating, use judges' scores to determine the winner of a competition. These judges use some type of rating scale when judging performances (e.g., figure skating: 0.0 - 6.0). Sport governing bodies have the responsibility of setting and enforcing quality control parameters for judge performance. Given the judging scandals in figure skating at the 1998 and 2002 Olympics, judge performance in sport is receiving greater scrutiny. The purpose of this article is to illustrate how results from Rasch analyses can be used to provide in-depth feedback to judges about their scoring patterns. Nine judges' scores for 20 pairs of figure skaters who competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics were analyzed using a four-faceted (skater pair ability, skating aspect difficulty, program difficulty, and judge severity) Rasch rating scale model that was not common to all judges. Fit statistics, the logical ordering of skating aspects, skating programs, and separation indices all indicated a good fit of the data to the model. The type of feedback that can be given to judges about their scoring pattern was illustrated for one judge (USA) whose performance was flagged as being unpredictable. Feedback included a detailed description of how the rating scale was used; for example, 10% of all marks given by the American judge were unexpected by the model (Z > |2|). Three figures illustrated differences between the judge's observed and expected marks arranged according to the pairs' skating order and final placement in the competition. Scores which may represent "nationalistic bias" or a skating order influence were flagged by looking at these figures. If sport governing bodies wish to improve the performance of their judges, they need to employ methods that monitor the internal consistency of each judge as a many-facet Rasch analysis does.