Salchow jump

Last updated
Figure skating element
Element nameSalchow jump
Scoring abbreviation S
Element type Jump
Take-off edgeBack inside
Landing edgeBack outside
Inventor Ulrich Salchow

The Salchow jump is an edge jump in figure skating. It was named after its inventor, Ulrich Salchow, in 1909. The Salchow is accomplished with a takeoff from the back inside edge of one foot and a landing on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. It is "usually the first jump that skaters learn to double, and the first or second to triple". [1] Timing is critical because both the takeoff and landing must be on the backward edge. A Salchow is deemed cheated if the skate blade starts to turn forward before the takeoff, or if it has not turned completely backward when the skater lands back on the ice. [1]

Contents

In competitions, the base value of a single Salchow is 0.40, for a double Salchow it is 1.30, for a triple 4.30, 9.70 for a quadruple, and 14 for a quintuple. [2]

History

Ulrich Salchow, inventor of the Salchow jump 1908 Olympic Games Ulrich Salchow.jpg
Ulrich Salchow, inventor of the Salchow jump

The Salchow jump was named after its inventor, Swedish world champion Ulrich Salchow in 1909. [3] [4] American skater Theresa Weld "received reprimands" at the 1920 Olympics "for performing a single Salchow jump because her skirt would fly up to her knees, creating an image deemed too risque". [5] [6]

Firsts

Abbr.Jump elementSkaterNationEventRef.
2SDouble Salchow (women's) Cecilia Colledge Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 1936 European Championships [7]
3STriple Salchow (men's) Ronald Robertson Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1955 World Championships [8]
Triple Salchow (women's) Petra Burka Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 1962 Canadian Championships

1965 World Championships

[8] [a]
Helli Sengstschmid Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 1961 European Championships [8]
Jana Mrázková Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic [8]
4SQuadruple Salchow (men's) Timothy Goebel Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1997–98 Junior Grand Prix Final [8]
Quadruple Salchow (women's) Miki Ando Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 2002–03 Junior Grand Prix Final [8]
Japanese figure skater Miki Ando (2009) Miki Ando 2009 Worlds.jpg
Japanese figure skater Miki Ando (2009)

Execution

As defined by the ISU, the Salchow jump is an edge jump. Its takeoff is made from the back inside edge of one foot, and its landing is made on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. [3] The skater enters into the jump with a backward approach, launches it using their inside edge, and lands on the opposite outside edge. [9] The free leg is extended behind the skater and swings toward the front as they spring into the air while, at the same time, drawing their arms in. [10] Skaters do not have to draw in their arms or free leg close to their bodies while performing the single Salchow because bringing the free side of their bodies forward and around the opposite side of their bodies after they turn towards the back is enough to produce the necessary rotation. [1]

The rotation in the air, with respect to a fixed point, is slightly less than 360 degrees because the takeoff edge curves in the same direction as the rotation in the air. When a skater pulls the arms into their body and/or brings their free leg inward, more rotations can be performed; for this reason, the Salchow is "usually the first jump that skaters learn to double, and the first or second to triple". [1] As U.S. Figure Skating states, however, "timing is critical" [10] with the execution of the Salchow because both the takeoff and landing must be on the backward edge.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Not definitely established. A report from the 1961 European Championships stated that Helli Sengstschmid from Austria and Jana Mrazkova from Czechoslovakia had already successfully landed a triple Salchow.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kestnbaum 2003, p. 284.
  2. ↑ "Communication No. 2707: Single & Pair Skating Scale of Values (ISU No. 2707)" (PDF). International Skating Union. pp. 2–4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  3. 1 2 Media Guide, p. 20
  4. ↑ Hines 2011, p. 193.
  5. ↑ Kestnbaum 2003, p. 92.
  6. ↑ Eschner, Kat (6 February 2018). "A Brief History of Women's Figure Skating". Smithsonian Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 July 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  7. ↑ Hines 2011, p. xxiv.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Media Guide, p. 21
  9. ↑ Park, Alice (22 February 2018). "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Figure Skating Jumps and Scores". Time Magazine. Archived from the original on 13 May 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Identifying Jumps" (PDF). U.S. Figure Skating. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2025.

Works cited

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