Adult track or Standard track - how did you decide?

[karne]

See, this is why I should never be injured. It gives me too much time to think.

Anyway, I fell down the stairs rather fortuitiously in the middle of Australian Nationals, and while keeping an eye on all my local skaters' results, I had a  peek at the Adult Nationals results, and I got the idea in my head that maybe going to Adult Nationals would be something I would like to do.

The major problem I have with this is that, as I read the rules, in Australia, once you have competed Standard track, you can't do Adult. I still have a while to decide, since the injury has set back my Free Skate 4 test, which in turn sets back my Preliminary test. It'll only be after I pass Preliminary that I have to decide.

I don't really know what to do and I'm rambling now. 

So, how did you decide?

[Skittl1321]

Really? You can never do adult? Seems contrary to the idea of life long skating (even Midori Ito now competes as adult). I wonder if the intention is to disallow both tracks in the same season (USA has that rule).

If I could only do one, I'd do adult. I won't get far standard track and adult competitions have great atmosphere.

[karne]

Maybe I read it wrong, but that's how I understood it in the Nationals announcement:

A skater competing after 1st July 2012 in a Preliminary to Senior Singles, Pairs or Dance event either locally or internationally MAY NOT participate in the Adult competition.

http://www.isq.org.au/Documents/AFSC_2012/2012%20AFSC%20-%20Technical%20Announcement%20-%20v1.pdf

[sarahspins]

I would presume that has to do only with that competition season, because the "season" typically starts July 1, and because you're reading the competition announcement for nationals.. basically it looks like you can't compete both standard track and adult in the same season.. but I don't think that you have to permanently choose one over the other.

Maybe you can contact them for clarification? 

[jjane45]

I do not plan to compete, so only had to choose for testing alone. In theory the adult track has lower passing standard and I needed all the break possible. Easy decision

[Isk8NYC]

Maybe I read it wrong, but that's how I understood it in the Nationals announcement:

http://www.isq.org.au/Documents/AFSC_2012/2012%20AFSC%20-%20Technical%20Announcement%20-%20v1.pdf

That link is to the announcement for that Championship competition.  Check the rulebook instead; I think you'll find that it's a season-long restriction, not a "for life" restriction.  The US has the same rule, to keep things fair and balanced.  If a skater competes in the standard track qualifying competition, they're ineligible for the separate adult competition.

A skater competing after 1st July 2012 in a Preliminary to Senior Singles, Pairs or Dance event either locally or internationally MAY NOT participate in the Adult competition.

[aussieskater]

Karne, the restriction is season-based only, at least for Aust Nats.  A competitor may choose season by season whether to skate adult or standard, but may not skate in both divisions within the same season.

I just double checked my copy of the 2011 announcement for Aust Nats, and competitors in adult divisions were not permitted to have skated in any standard track events after 1 Jul 11.  Then this year (2012), the date limitation was moved to 1 Jul 12.  Interestingly, the announcement for 2010 Nats listed that limitation date as 1 Jul 09 (not the expected 1 Jul 10).  2010 Nats was the first Nats including adults, so I guess TPTB have tweaked the rule in the meantime.

Isk8NYC - normally you'd be right, but this is ISA we're talking about here!  I just rechecked the rule book but there is no mention I could find of eligibility to compete adult, only of permitted or required elements per adult level.  There is a separate tech reg specifying required test levels, but it does not address standard vs adult eligibility.

[karne]

I do not plan to compete, so only had to choose for testing alone. In theory the adult track has lower passing standard and I needed all the break possible. Easy decision

In Australia "Adult" is a competition division only; the level is based on standard track levels. Adult Bronze is Preliminary test, Adult Silver is the Elementary Pattern Skills Test, and so on.

Thanks, everyone.  Looks like I read it wrong. I will double check with ISA, since I want to know if, say, I was able to compete Preliminary at Autumn Trophy, would that affect my eligibility for Adult Nats the same season? Or, because it was before July 1, it doesn't count, even if it is the same season? It's quite tricky!

[VAsk8r]

The answer to the "how did you decide" question for me is...I didn't. My coach said, "Adults do this" and so I did  . I didn't know I could do standard until after I'd passed my pre-bronze tests.

We don't have that many adult skaters at USFS competitions as it is, and I don't know any doing standard track. I'd much rather be in events with people around my age or older than teens and kids. Yes, I have a better chance of placing well in adult-only events, but it's also nice to meet and talk to other adult skaters. There really aren't any at my home rink. 

[sarahspins]

didn't know I could do standard until after I'd passed my pre-bronze tests.

There's absolutely nothing that states you can't go back and test standard track too - there was a skater at my rink who was testing through both tracks, concurrently.  That said, there's no true benefit to it other than personal acheivment - the tracks converge at intermediate, so were you to test through gold, you can simply continue testing standard track after that.

[VAsk8r]

There's absolutely nothing that states you can't go back and test standard track too - there was a skater at my rink who was testing through both tracks, concurrently. 

So if you're doing both, what determines which level you compete at? Is it just personal choice?

I think it would be a fun challenge to do both tracks and try out different moves and different expectations. That's something I'll take on once I win the lottery, build my own rink and begin taking 20 hours a week of lessons and classes. 

[sarahspins]

Your highest test level determines what you compete at.. there is a chart somewhere that lists the equivalencies, but basically you would have to test a level "higher" in standard track to be required to move up in an adult competition.  So unless you tested higher in standard track free it wouldn't effect your adult level at all.