The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-13
Lea On Which Skater Moues Mast Be Kept
Perfectly Straight.
THE RULES ARE FEW AND SIMPLE.
"Conbned Figure" Skating, Scuds and
Rockers. Good Style AlEzn1portant.
By GEORGE WOOD.


with the point OF the toe in order 10 gain
pace as rapidly and in as small a space
as possible. But il is bad style in skating
When The forward and backward move
ments have been mastered, the skater
turns his or her attention to the two for
ward threes, that made from an outside
forward. and that from an inside for
word edge. at the same time remember
ing to practice these edges themselves
regularly. One can never afford to forget
anything in skating: often when new
turn or movement has been learnt. il IS
left alone and Impractical for a consid-
cradle length OF time, with the result that
it all has 10 be learned over again Even
the most expert skaters Wi. practice
regularly the ordinary forward and pack
ward rolls THE forward three learnt the
beginner will do well to attempt the first
of The y. s A. tests: this gives him
as it were some sort Of status i'll the
skating world. Then have: to be overcome
the back tlrees. the double and triple
turns, the O's and the elementary forms
Of combined skating. All this is for the
second test, and any one who can pass
this may be called d. good skater Then
comes the delicaciis OF the art, the
Rocking Turn Bracket Turn, and
Counter Turn Every one OF these needs
steady practice, pluck and, more than all,
a knowledge of the correct way of at
tempting them and with these there must
be seine falls. However, with The eXcep-
tor of the back counter none of them
lead to any dangerous fall, and any sec
cnd-class badge holder may assure him
self of his ultimate success. OF the back
bracket it has been said:
In attempting d back outside bracket,
Be- sure to put on q cork jacket;
For if you should fail, it Will be on the
small
OF YOU back. and you'll probably crack
it,
FANCY SKATING.
Indeed, every turn seems to have its
own special portion of ones person which
it Will bump and bruise ii any mistake
be made. and one can be fairly certain
as TO what any skater is attempting by
watching 10 see what part of his body
he is ruefully rubbing. After mastering
these turns, amongst which we would in
ciude changes of feet as cXemplited in
'-Mohawks' and "Choctaws." the skater
is fully equipped for combined skating.
a skater when he has acquired d certain
reputation, is often asked by his friend
20 show them something. il other words
TO show Off, and here the English
skater, as a rule, seems at a great disad-
vantage. He may do a three" a rock
En-, or perhaps even this back-breaking
bracket but TO the ordinary onooller
tpey all LOOK the same. Inc average per-
son WILL however, probably be impressed,
if the skater succeeds in falling badly.
Only the expert can realize the difficulty
Of q turn we'll done. The spectator adj
mires, chiefly by duty bound, partly per-
hapS from real admiration Of the pace
and of the holiness Of the curves; but.
think they, it is tireSome to watch him
moving SO far and so fast, and it does
not look difficult. and when it is done
there is nothing left to See no pretty
figure on the ice. Why ask they, does
he not fall or do something exciting. The
Continental skater Will. on the other hand.
stayte great satisfaction by apparently
performing very difficult feats mislea9-
ing THE ordinary onlooker by his clever
Juggling with hands and feet He will
execute 4 loop or perhaps a three on a
very small scale. turning ii into q heart
or some such pretty figure, and leaves
a clear-cut design on the Ice THIS the
spectator can examine without trouble
and can admire without previous knowl-
edge. So 1t is that, after learning the
groundwork OF the art Of skating, and
tie ordinary turns. the English figure
skater. unless he turns to the foreign
style and INDUCES In these elegant ''kick-
ed figures" feels the want Of something
unore-something IN which his former
hard practice may be OF use. and in which
he may have opportunities OF feeling a
more vivid pleasure in difficulties over.