Quad (figure skating)

A quad, or quadruple, is a figure skating jump with four or more, but fewer than five, revolutions.^[1] Most quadruple jumps have exactly four revolutions; the quadruple Axel has 4½ revolutions, although no figure skater to date has completed this jump, either in practice or in competition. The quadruple toe loop and quadruple Salchow are the two most commonly skated. The first quad Lutz was ratified in 2011.

The first person to land a ratified quadruple jump in competition was Kurt Browning in 1988. Quadruple jumps have become increasingly common among World and Olympic level men's single skaters, to the point that not having one in a program may be considered a handicap.^[2]

Timeline of major events

Men

• 1983
  • Alexander Fadeyev (USSR) lands a quad toe loop at the World Championships but has a touchdown with his hands.^[3]
  • Mark Cockerell (USA) lands quads in training at the US National Sports Festival, but decides not to try it during his performance.^[4]
• 1984
  • Alexander Fadeyev (USSR) attempts a quad toe at the Olympics, but it is not officially recognized by the ISU because of a flawed landing.^[5]
• 1986
  • Jozef Sabovčík (CZE) attempts a quad toe at the European Championships. It was approved at the time but a few weeks later ruled invalid because of a touchdown with his free foot.^[6]
• 1987
  • Brian Boitano (USA) makes a quad toe attempt at the World Championships but falls and loses his title to Brian Orser (CAN).^[7]
• 1988
  • Kurt Browning (CAN) lands the first ratified quadruple jump, a toe loop, at the World Championships (with three turns on the landing).^[6][8][9] Browning said: "I remember that there were a few people landing the jump (in practice) long before I did, and by watching them I was inspired to try it myself. After landing it, I certainly expected more skaters to start doing it in competition. I was surprised in the next few years when that really did not happen."^[6]
  • Brian Boitano (USA) attempts a quad toe later in the same competition but cannot hold the landing and takes an extra step; ruled not valid.^[8]
• 1989
  • Kurt Browning (CAN) lands a quad toe loop at the World Championships but touchdown with free foot.^[9]
  • Petr Barna (CZE) lands a quad toe loop at the same competition.^[10]
• 1990
  • Alexei Urmanov (USSR) becomes the first Russian skater to land a quad (quad toe loop) in competition, at the Soviet championships in December.
  • Petr Barna (CZE) lands a quad toe loop, but touches down with free foot at the European Championships in January
• 1991
  • Erik Larson (USA) attempts a slide spiral into a quad toe lands it and turns out at the NHK Trophy.
  • Michael Chack (USA) attempts a one-foot Axel/quad Salchow combination at the U.S. Nationals; quad landing is two-footed.
  • Alexei Urmanov lands a quadruple toe loop at the European Championships in January.
  • Elvis Stojko (CAN) lands the first quad in combination, the first quadruple toe loop-double toe loop combination, at the World Championships.^[11] He later said that he had studied VHS tapes of Browning, Boitano, Fadeev, and Sabovcik to master the quad.^[12]
• 1992
  • Petr Barna (CZE) lands a quad toe loop, but stepping out on landing at the European Championships in January.^[13]
  • Alexei Urmanov (CIS) lands a quad toe loop at the European Championships in January
  • Konstantin Kostin (LAT) lands a quad toe loop at the European Championships in January
  • Alexei Urmanov (CIS) lands the first quad (toe loop) in Olympic competition but touches down with the right hand.
  • Petr Barna (CZE) lands a huge quad toe-loop but touch down with free foot.^[14]
• 1993
  • Konstantin Kostin (LAT) lands a quad toe loop at the European Championships in January
• 1994
  • Min Zhang (CHN) lands a quad toe cleanly at the Winter Olympics, Lillehammer.
  • Elvis Stojko (CAN) attempts a quad toe-triple toe combination at the World Championships, but steps out on the landing.^[15]
• 1995
  • Vassily Eremenko (UKR) falls on a quad toe attempt at the European Championships in January
  • Michael Weiss (USA) falls on a quad toe attempt at the U.S. Nationals.
  • Francis Gastellu (FRA) lands a quad toe at the French Nationals.^[16][17]
• 1996
  • Guo Zhengxin (CHN) landed a quad-toe-double toe at the World Championships.^[18]
• 1997
  • Michael Weiss (USA) two-foots a quad toe attempt at the U.S. Nationals.^[19]
  • Elvis Stojko (CAN) lands the first quad-triple combination (the first quad toe-triple toe) at the Champions Series Final.^[12]
  • A total of three quads are landed by three different skaters at this competition: Ilia Kulik (RUS), Alexei Urmanov (RUS) and Elvis Stojko (CAN).
  • Guo Zhengxin (CHN) is the first to land two quads in a single performance at the World Championships: a quad toe, plus a quad toe-double toe combination, thus also making him the first to land a single quad and a quad in combination together in one performance.
  • Elvis Stojko repeats his quad toe-triple toe at the World Championships.
  • Anthony Liu (AUS) becomes the first Australian to land a quad at his country's national championships in July (quad toe loop).
  • 17-year-old Tim Goebel (USA) attempts quads throughout the fall season at the Junior Champions series, and attempts a quad Salchow at the Ukrainian Souvenir competition (where five other men planned quads). The attempt is ruled a two-footed landing.
• 1998
  • Michael Weiss (USA) attempts a quad lutz in both his U.S. Nationals free skate (two-footed) and in his Olympic free skate (fall).
  • Todd Eldredge (USA) falls on a quad toe attempt at the U.S. Nationals.
  • Timothy Goebel (USA) becomes the first American to land a quadruple jump (a quad Salchow in combination with a double toe loop) in competition at the Junior Champions Series Final. In so doing he also lands the first quadruple Salchow and the first quad Salchow in combination (as well as the first quad combination by an American). The jump is ratified by the ISU a month later.^[20]
  • Ilia Kulik (RUS) becomes the first Olympic champion to land a quad in a winning program.
  • The ISU votes to permit solo quadruple jumps in the men's short program at their biennial congress in June.
  • Timothy Goebel (USA) lands a clean (solo) quad Salchow at the Goodwill Games in July.
  • Derek Schmidt (CAN) attempts quad toe loops in his short programs during two minor regional Canadian summer competitions but fails to complete the jumps cleanly.
  • Elvis Stojko (CAN) is the first to attempt a quad (toe loop) in a short program at a major international competition at Skate America, but falls on the attempt.
• 1999
  • Min Zhang (CHN) becomes the first man to land a quadruple jump (a toe loop) in a short program at the Four Continents Championship in February.^[21]
  • Michael Weiss (USA) is the first American to land a quadruple toe at the World Championships.^[22]
  • Ilia Klimkin (RUS) becomes the first man to land two different quadruple jumps (salchow and toe loop) in a program at the 1999 Nebelhorn Trophy.^[23]
  • Timothy Goebel (USA) becomes the first man to land three quadruple jumps in a program (long program) at 1999 Skate America in October; he landed a quad salchow, quad toe loop in combination, and a quad toe as a solo jump.^[6]
  • Evgeni Plushenko (RUS) performs the world's first quad-triple-double (quadruple toe-triple toe-double loop) combination at the NHK Trophy.
• 2000
  • Alexei Yagudin (RUS) lands two quadruple jumps in his long program at the World Championships, including one in combination^[24]
  • Todd Eldredge (USA) lands his first quadruple jump in competition at the Masters of Figure Skating.^[25]
• 2001
  • Evgeni Plushenko (RUS) lands a quad-triple-double (quadruple toe-triple toe-double loop) at the World Championships.
  • Evgeni Plushenko (RUS) falls on a quad lutz attempt at the Cup of Russia.
• 2002
  • Alexei Yagudin (RUS) lands a quad-triple combination jump in his short program at the 2002 Olympics.^[26]
  • Alexei Yagudin (RUS) lands two quads in his Olympic-winning long program: 1) a quad-triple-double (quadruple toe, toe-triple toe, double loop) combination and 2) a quadruple toe loop.^[27]
  • Evgeni Plushenko (RUS) lands two quads in his Olympics long program: a quadruple toe-triple toe-triple loop attempt (step out on the last jump) and a solo quad toe.^[28]
  • Min Zhang (CHN) is the first to land three quadruple jumps in the long program at the Olympic Games.^[29]
  • Timothy Goebel (USA) lands a quad salchow-triple toe loop combination in his Olympic short program.
  • Timothy Goebel (USA) lands two quad salchow (one in combination with a triple toe loop) and one quad toe loop during his Olympic free program.
  • Evgeni Plushenko (RUS) lands the first quad-triple-triple (quadruple toe-triple toe-triple loop) combination in competition at the Cup of Russia.
• 2003
  • Takeshi Honda (JPN) lands three quadruple jumps in his long program at the 2003 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.^[30]
• 2006
  • Evgeni Plushenko (RUS) performs a quadruple toe-triple toe-double loop combination in his Olympic-winning free skate.^[31]
  • Stephane Lambiel (CHE) performs a quadruple toe-triple toe-double loop combination during his free skate at the Olympics. He attempts a second quad past the halfway point, but steps out and touches down with his hand.^[32]
  • Brian Joubert (FRA) lands three quads (a quad toe in combination with double toe, a quad Salchow and a second quad toe) in competition at the Cup of Russia. He became the first European to perform it, and the first skater to land three quads in a free program under the ISU Judging System.^[33]
• 2008
  • Kevin Reynolds (CAN) lands a quad-triple-triple (quad toe-triple toe-triple loop) at the Canadian Championships (at the age of 17), being the second one to do so.
  • Jeffrey Buttle (CAN) won at the 2008 World Championships. He became the first Champion whom without attempting a quad since Todd Eldredge in 1996. This led to criticism from silver-medal winner Brian Joubert and U.S. champion Evan Lysacek.^[34]
• 2010
  • Evan Lysacek (USA) won the gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics without attempting a quad. This led to heavy criticism from silver-medal winner Evgeni Plushenko who landed a quad toe-triple toe combination in both his short program and free skate.^[35]
  • Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) attempts a quadruple flip jump at the World Championships, but the jump is underrotated.^[36]
  • Kevin van der Perren (BEL) lands a quad-triple-triple (quad toe-triple toe-triple toe) combination in competition at the World Championships in Torino, Italy.
  • Kevin Reynolds (CAN) becomes the first skater to successfully land two quadruple jumps (quad salchow-triple toe loop and quad toe-loop) in a short program at the 2010 Skate Canada International.^[37]
  • Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) attempts a quadruple flip jump at the Grand Prix Final, but the jump is downgraded.
• 2011
  • Brian Joubert (FRA) becomes the first skater to land more than 100 quadruple jumps in his career at ISU competitions.
  • Brandon Mroz (USA) lands a quad Lutz in the short program at the 2011 Colorado Springs Invitational.^[38][39] The U.S. Figure Skating-sanctioned competition was a small non-ISU event with three men's entries, making it unclear whether the accomplishment would be recognized by the International Skating Union.^[39][40] On October 26, the ISU announced it had ratified the jump as the first quad Lutz to be performed in a sanctioned competition.^[41][42] World Champion Patrick Chan of Canada commented, "I don't think it can be an official ISU record until [Mroz] has done it in an ISU event."^[43]
  • On November 12, 2011, Brandon Mroz (USA) landed a quad Lutz as his opening jump in the men's short program at the NHK Trophy in Sapporo, Japan, becoming the first skater to land a quadruple lutz in international competition.^[44]
• 2012
  • Javier Fernández (ESP) becomes the second European skater to land three quads (two salchows and a toe-loop) in a free program and the first one to do it with a quad-triple combination (4S+3T) at the 2012 Grand Prix Final in Sochi, Russia.
• 2013
  • Javier Fernández (ESP) becomes the first skater to land three quads twice in the same season after the 2012-13 Grand Prix Final and the 2013 European Championships. In both programs he did two quad salchows and a quad toe-loop, the first salchow in combination with a triple toe-loop.

Ladies

• 1989
  • Surya Bonaly (FRA) attempts a quad toe loop at the European Championships; first quad attempt by a woman in a major competition. She also falls on a quad Salchow attempt.
• 1991
  • Surya Bonaly (FRA) lands an underrotated quad attempt at the World Championships.
• 1992
  • Surya Bonaly (FRA) lands an underrotated quad toe at the Olympics and later repeats this at the World Championships.^[45]
• 2001
  • Sasha Cohen (USA) lands a quad Salchow in warmup and practice at Skate America, but her attempt in her long program ends up aborted.^[46]
• 2002
  • Miki Ando (JPN) becomes the first woman to land a quadruple (a Salchow) at the Junior Grand Prix Final.^[47]

Pairs

• 1977
  • Marina Cherkasova and Sergei Shakrai (RUS) perform the first ever quadruple twist lift at the European Championships.
• 1987
  • Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS) perform a quadruple twist at the World Championships.^[48]
• 2000
  • Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang (CHN) perform the first quadruple twist in a Junior competition at the Junior World Championships.^[49]
• 2002
  • Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo (CHN) attempt a quadruple-throw Salchow at the Olympics. She lands, then falls, and the jump is not ratified.
• 2004
  • Ding Yang and Ren Zhongfei (CHN) attempt a quadruple-throw toe loop at the Four Continents Championships; the landing is two-footed.
• 2007
  • Tiffany Vise and Derek Trent (USA) become the first pair to land a quadruple-throw, a Salchow, at the 2007 Trophée Eric Bompard.^[50]
• 2008
  • Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov (RUS) become the first pair to land a quadruple-throw, a Salchow, at the 2008 European Championships. They also were the first pair to land a quadruple Salchow at the Russian and World Championships. They have attempted 16 quads and have landed 10 so far in their career.
• 2011
  • Sui Wenjing and Han Cong (CHN) successfully perform a quadruple twist at JGP Innsbruck, Austria.^[51]
• 2012
  • Sui Wenjing and Han Cong (CHN) become the first pair to attempt two quadruples, a quadruple-throw Salchow and a quadruple twist, in a program at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships; the landing for the quadruple-throw Salchow is two-footed.^[52]

Execution

A jump harness is often employed in training quads.^[53] Max Aaron stated that the smallest error may make the difference in the success of a quad attempt: "The minute your left arm is behind you, or your three-turn is too fast, if your hips don't turn in time, if your foot isn't in the right place, anything will throw you off."^[53] Ross Miner stated that the quality of the ice sometimes plays a role but more on the quad salchow than the toe loop.^[53] Practicing quads increases the risk of injury and wear and tear on a skater's body.^[53]

See also

• Quadruple jump controversy

References

External links

• USA Today Graphic "Quad Jumps Require Speed, Power"