Grade of execution for a two-footed loop jump in combination

[nicklaszlo]

I can't find any penalty in the book for a loop jump that takes off from two feet in single skating.  (There is one for pairs.)  Lots of skaters do this and it seems to be okay with the judges.  Is it okay to take off from two feet if the loop jump is the second jump in a combination?  Or would that be a landing on two feet, which gets a -3 grade of execution reduction?

[amy1984]

Yah this is super common for a loop jump, legs crossed and the free leg blade touching the ice before take off.  It's actually how lots of people are taught to do the loop and you won't see a deduction for it unless someone really screws up and puts a ton of weight on the free foot.  How I mentioned it is how every coach I've ever had has taught a loop from a backwards approach.  If I'm doing one off a three turn you'd better bet I get 'don't drag that leg!' but apparently it's acceptable from the backwards approach without a three turn.

[Doubletoe]

In my experience, the perfect takeoff position for a loop jump is with the free foot resting gently on the ice, heel of free foot in front of the toe of the takeoff foot.  This forces you to bend your takeoff knee, keep the free hip closed and get your chest over knee over toe before takeoff.  The free foot on the ice does not help you in terms of takeoff power because it's too far away and not under you.  If you shift your weight and end up taking off from the "free foot" instead of the foot you're supposed to take off from, I would imagine they'd call it as a salchow instead of a loop (LBI takeoff instead of RBO takeoff).

However, whenever you put your free foot down *between* jumps, it is considered a two-footing of the first jump (or a stroke between jumps, which also isn't allowed) and it negates any jump that comes after that.

[nicklaszlo]

it negates any jump that comes after that.

Doubletoe, what do you mean?  Grade of execution applies to an entire combination.

[Darkenigma]

Just found this question an interesting one so I'll chime in - am used to just browsing
A similar situation just occurred during worlds where Yuzuru had the 2nd jump in his combo invalidated because his free leg touched down after his first jump. Sounds like the 2nd jump is only invalidated if they believe your weight has shifted onto your free leg - and it's an even harsher penalty in the SP due to it being an "incomplete combo".
So I'm guessing if you two-foot a loop as the second jump it should still count (probably with minus GOE) as long as your weight is clearly over your skating foot.

Skating protocol's instagram where they reference what happened explains it a lot better:

According to the rules, a skater can touchdown their free leg after the first jump in the combination, but only if there is no "weight transfer." However, Yuzuru clearly puts weight on that foot (he goes down on his knee!) and that ends the combination. As a result, the +2T doesn't count at all, and he receives a "+COMBO" marking for an incomplete attempt.

Adding insult to injury, according to the rules if you do an incomplete combination in the SP and receive "+COMBO," the judges MUST give -3 as the final GOE — since you've violated the technical requirements of the SP. (It's similar to how if you do a double as your solo jump, you get invalid element = 0 points.)