Wikipedia

Axel jump

TheAxel jumporAxel Paulsen jump,named after its inventor, Norwegian figure skaterAxel Paulsen,is an edge jump performed infigure skating.It is the sport's oldest and most difficult jump, and the only basic jump in competition with a forward take-off, which makes it the easiest to identify. A double or triple Axel is required in both theshort programand thefree skatingsegment for junior and seniorsingle skatersin all events sanctioned by theInternational Skating Union(ISU).

Figure skating element
Refer to caption
Illustration of a single Axel jump
Element nameAxel jump
Alternative nameAxel Paulsen jump
Scoring abbreviationA
Element typeJump
Take-off edgeForward outside
Landing edgeBackward outside
InventorAxel Paulsen
DisciplinesSingles,pairs

Compared with other basic figure skating jumps, the Axel requires an extra half revolution, which makes a triple Axel "more a quadruple jump than a triple", according to figure skating expert Hannah Robbins.[1]

The triple Axel has become a common technical element in the men's singles discipline, but it is less common among female single skaters. As of January 2025, 25 women have successfully completed the triple Axel in international competition, as detailed later in this entry. The quadruple Axel was successfully executed in competition for the first time in 2022, but it has not yet been landed by a female skater and, as of January 2025, has only been landed in international competition by one skater.

History

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Norwegian figure skaterAxel Paulsen,creator of the Axel jump, pictured in 1895

The Axel jump, also called the Axel Paulsen jump for its creator the Norwegian figure skaterAxel Paulsen,is an edge jump in the sport offigure skating.[2][3]According to figure skating historian James Hines, the Axel is "figure skating's most difficult jump".[4]It is the only basic jump in competition that takes off forward, which makes it the easiest jump to identify. Skaters commonly perform a double or triple Axel, followed by a jump of lower difficulty in combination.[5]A double or triple Axel is required in theshort programand an Axel is required in thefree programfor junior and seniorsingle skatersin all ISU competitions.[6]The Axel jump is the most studied jump in figure skating. In competition, the base value of an Axel is determined by the number of revolutions completed during the jump.[7]The base value of a single Axel is 1.10, a double Axel 3.30, a triple Axel 8.00, a quadruple Axel 12.50 and a quintuple Axel is 14.[8]

Paulsen was the first skater to accomplish an Axel, at the first international figure skating competition, which was held in Vienna in 1882, while wearing speed skates.[4][9][10]Hines, who called Paulsen "progressive" for inventing it, stated that he did it "as aspecial figure".[11]By the mid-1920s, the Axel was the only jump that was not being doubled.[4]During the early 1900s, Professional German skaterCharlotte Oelschlägelwas the first woman to include an Axel in her programs; Hines reported that she would terminate the Axel with her "famous fade-away ending",[12]theCharlotte spiral,a move she invented.[13]In the early 1920s,Sonja Heniefrom Norway was the first female skater to perform an Axel in competition.[14]It was also reported by Hines that in the 1930s, Austrian skaterFelix Kaspar,who was known for his athleticism, performed Axels with a trajectory of four feet height and 20 feet distance from take-off to landing (1.20m height and 6m distance); Hines stated that "there is little doubt in the minds of those who saw him that had the technique then been known, he probably could have easily performed triple or even quadruple jumps".[15]At the1948 Winter Olympics,AmericanDick Buttonwas the first skater to complete a double Axel in competition.[16]AmericanCarol Heisswas the first woman to perform a double Axel, in 1953.[17]

The first successful triple Axel in competition was performed by CanadianVern Taylorat the1978 World Championships.[14]Six years later, at the1984 Winter GamesinSarajevo,Canadian skaterBrian Orserbecame the first skater to complete a triple Axel at the Olympics. According toThe New York Times,throughout the years, the triple Axel "has become more common for male skaters" to perform.[18]

The first female skater to successfully execute a triple Axel in competition was Japanese skaterMidori Ito,at a regional competition in theAichi Prefectureof Japan in 1988.[19]She was also the first woman to land it at an international competition, at the1988 NHK Trophy,[20]as well as the first woman to land it at the Olympics, in1992.[21][22]

As of January 2025, 25 female figure skaters have completed a ratified triple Axel (with positive GOE for those performed under the new judging system). After Midori Ito first performed it in 1988 and thenTonya Hardingin 1991, over 10 years passed before more female skaters started performing it, starting withYukari NakanoandLudmila Nelidina,and thenMao Asada(the first one to land three triple Axels in one competition),Elizaveta Tuktamysheva,Rika Kihira,andMirai Nagasu.[23]Since then,Alysa Liu,Alena Kostornaia,Young You,Kamila Valieva,Hana Yoshida,Rinka Watanabe,Anastasiia Shabotova,Varvara Kisel,Mana Kawabe,Sofia Akateva,Amber Glenn,Mao Shimada,Inga Gurgenidze,Ami Nakai,Yu-seong KimYu-jae Kim,and Sophie Joline Von Felton have landed the jump successfully in international competition.[24]

However, only five have completed the triple Axel in an Olympic program: Ito during her free skate in 1992; Japanese skaterMao Asadain both programs in2010as well as her free skate in2014;American skaterMirai Nagasuin her free skate in the2018 team event;[25]Russian skaterKamila Valievain her short program at the2022 team event;[26]and Japanese skaterWakaba Higuchiin both programs of the2022 women's individual event.[27]

The first throw triple Axel was performed by AmericanpairskatersRena InoueandJohn Baldwin,at the2006 U.S. National Championships.[14]They were also the first couple to perform a throw triple Axel at the Olympics and international competition, in2006.[28]

In 2022, at theCS U.S. Classic,American skaterIlia Malininwas the first skater to successfully complete a quadruple Axel in competition.[29][30]

List of first performed Axel jumps in international competition
Abbr. Jump element Skater Nation Event Ref.
1A Single Axel (men's) Axel Paulsen Norway 1882 international skating competition inVienna [4]
Single Axel (women's) Sonja Henie Norway 1920s skating competition [14]
2A Double Axel (men's) Dick Button United States 1948 Winter Olympic Games [16]
Double Axel (women's) Carol Heiss United States 1953 skating competition [17]
3A Triple Axel (men's) Vern Taylor Canada 1978 World Championships [14]
Triple Axel (women's) Midori Ito Japan 1988 NHK Trophy [20]
4A Quadruple Axel (men's) Ilia Malinin United States 2022 CS U.S. Classic [29]
Quadruple Axel (women's) None ratified

Execution

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Japanese figure skaterMidori Ito,first female skater to land a triple Axel

The Axel is an edge jump, which means that the skater must spring into the air from bent knees.[31]It is the oldest but most difficult figure skating jump.[32]A "lead-up" to the Axel is the waltz jump, a half-revolution jump and the first jump that skaters learn.[33]

The Axel has three phases: the entrance phase (which ends with the takeoff), the flight phase, when the skater rotates into the air, and the landing phase, which begins when the skater's blade hits the ice and ends when they are "safely skating backwards on the full outside edge with one leg behind in the air".[7]According to researcher Anna Mazurkiewicz and her colleagues, the most important parts of the entrance phase is the transition phase (also called the pre-takeoff phase) and the takeoff itself.[34]

The jump has a forward takeoff, typically from a step forward onto the outside edge of the takeoff foot. The skater then kicks through with their free leg, helping them to jump into the air. The skater must land on the back outside edge on the opposite foot, and the change in foot required to complete the Axel means that their centre of gravity must be transferred from the left side to the right, while rotating in the air, to reach the correct position to land.[32]As a result, the Axel has an extra half-rotation, which, as figure skating expert Hannah Robbins states, "makes a triple Axel more a quadruple jump than a triple":[1]the single Axel consists of one-and-a-half revolutions, the double Axel consists of two-and-half revolutions, and the triple Axel consists of three-and-a-half revolutions.[35][14]

Sports reporter Nora Princiotti states, about the triple Axel, "It takes incredible strength and body control for a skater to get enough height and to get into the jump fast enough to complete all the rotations before landing with a strong enough base to absorb the force generated".[31]According to American skaterMirai Nagasu,"falling on the triple Axel is really brutal".[25]On a successful quadruple Axel, the skater lands with five to ten times the force of their body weight.[10]

It has been shown that the more skilled skaters have greater takeoff velocities and jump lengths. When skaters perform double Axels, they exhibit greater rotations during the flight phase, take off in more closed positions, and attain greater rotational velocities than when performing single Axels. They also increase their turns not by increasing the time in the air, but by increasing their rotational velocity when performing single, double, and triple Axels.[36]According to researcher D.L. King, the key to executing a successful triple Axel is "achieving a high rotational velocity by generating angular momentum at take-off and minimising the moment of inertia about the spin axis".[36]

As of January 2023, four skaters have earned a perfect score for the triple Axel jump (since the introduction of theISU Judging Systemin 2004): Yuzuru Hanyu,Javier Fernández,Yan Han,andShoma Uno.Hanyu was awarded amaximum score ten times,the most among skaters.[37]Besides its quality, Hanyu's jump is notable for its consistency; he landed 51 triple Axels with a positivegrade of execution(GOE) in 53 international senior short programs with only two mistakes in that competition segment in a span of twelve years.[38][39]

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^abRobbins, Hannah (11 February 2018)."Triple Axel new ladies' figure skating staple".The Collegian.Tulsa, Oklahoma:University of Tulsa.Archivedfrom the original on 12 February 2019.
  2. ^Petkevich 1989,p. 206.
  3. ^Hines 2015,p. 49.
  4. ^abcdHines 2011,p. 32.
  5. ^Abad-Santos, Alexander (5 February 2014)."A GIF Guide to Figure Skaters' Jumps at the Olympics".The Atlantic.Washington, D.C.ISSN2151-9463.Archivedfrom the original on 27 November 2022.
  6. ^"ISU Technical Panel Handbook Single Skating 2023-24".8 July 2023. p. 18.Retrieved12 October2023.
  7. ^abMazurkiewicz, Iwańska & Urbanik 2018,p. 3.
  8. ^"ISU Communication 2656 Single and Pair Skating".International Skating Union. pp.2–4.Retrieved5 November2024.
  9. ^Kestnbaum 2003,p. 67.
  10. ^abGalocha, Artur; Samuels, Robert; Berkowitz, Bonnie (10 February 2022)."How Yuzuru Hanyu Nearly Landed a Quadruple Axel".Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon 28 March 2023.Retrieved27 June2024.
  11. ^Hines 2011,p. 132.
  12. ^Hines 2015,p. 185.
  13. ^Hines 2011,p. 170.
  14. ^abcdef"ISU Figure Skating Media Guide 2023/24".20 September 2023.Retrieved12 October2023.
  15. ^Hines 2015,p. 113.
  16. ^abPucin, Diane (7 January 2002)."Button Has Never Been Known to Zip His Lip".Los Angeles Times.Los Angeles.ISSN2165-1736.Archivedfrom the original on 11 December 2022.
  17. ^abJudd 2009,p. 100.
  18. ^Victor, Daniel (12 February 2018)."Mirai Nagasu Lands Triple Axel, a First by an American Woman at an Olympics".The New York Times.New York City.ISSN1553-8095.Archivedfrom the original on 17 February 2022.
  19. ^Lubarsky, Jared (10 March 1991)."Power Skating".The New York Times.New York City.ISSN1553-8095.Archivedfrom the original on 18 September 2018.
  20. ^abFlade, Tatjana (20 September 2011)."Midori Ito Returns to Competition".International Figure Skating.Denville Township, New Jersey.Archived fromthe originalon 25 September 2011.
  21. ^Miller, Andrea (12 February 2018)."US female figure skater 1 of only 3 in Olympics history to land the high-risk triple Axel".ABC News.New York City.Archivedfrom the original on 17 February 2022.
  22. ^"Midori Ito – Biography".International Olympic Committee.Lausanne.Archivedfrom the original on 16 August 2022.
  23. ^"Tonya Harding and the triple axel club".ESPN.29 November 2017.Retrieved11 January2025.
  24. ^"Skating Scores: Latest Figure Skating Results, Scores, Rankings & Statistics".skatingscores.Retrieved11 January2025.
  25. ^abCalfas, Jennifer (12 February 2018)."Why Mirai Nagasu's Historic Triple Axel at the Olympics Is Such a Big Deal".Time.New York City.ISSN0040-781X.Archivedfrom the original on 6 December 2022.
  26. ^Penny, Brandon (6 February 2022)."Kamila Valieva becomes fourth woman to land triple axel in Olympic history".NBC Sports.Stamford, Connecticut.Archivedfrom the original on 20 February 2022.
  27. ^McCarvel, Nick (15 February 2022)."Higuchi Wakaba joins historic list by landing triple Axel on Olympic ice".International Olympic Committee.Lausanne.Archivedfrom the original on 3 June 2022.
  28. ^"Pairs – Rena Inoue and John Baldwin".International Skating Union.Lausanne.Archivedfrom the original on 26 October 2022.
  29. ^abCarpenter, Les (14 September 2022)."U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin lands first quad Axel in competition".The Washington Post.Washington, D.C.ISSN0190-8286.Archivedfrom the original on 15 September 2022.
  30. ^"2022 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic – Judges details per skater – Men Free Skating"(PDF).International Skating Union.Lausanne.14 September 2022.Archived(PDF)from the original on 27 November 2022.
  31. ^abPrinciotti, Nora (12 February 2018)."What is a triple Axel? And why is it so hard for figure skaters to pull off?".boston.Boston, Massachusetts:Boston Globe.Archivedfrom the original on 15 February 2022.
  32. ^abKestnbaum 2003,p. 285.
  33. ^Hines 2006,p. 101.
  34. ^Mazurkiewicz, Iwańska & Urbanik 2018,p. 5.
  35. ^"Identifying Jumps"(PDF).U.S. Figure Skating.Colorado Springs, Colorado.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 March 2015.
  36. ^abMazurkiewicz, Iwańska & Urbanik 2018,p. 4.
  37. ^"Triple Axel element query – Senior men by most awarded +3/+5 marks".Skating Scores.United States.Archivedfrom the original on 20 January 2023.
  38. ^“GOE５が một lần もないなんてあり đến る?” Yuzuru Hanyu の SP "トリプルアクセル" thải điểm に Âu châu sự vật và tên gọi giải thích giả が than khóc!.thedigestweb(in Japanese).Bunkyo, Tokyo:Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing Inc.3 April 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 15 May 2021.
  39. ^"Skating Scores – Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)".Skating Scores.United States.Archivedfrom the original on 21 June 2022.

Works cited

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