Axel jump

The Axel is a jump in figure skating, named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen (1855-1938) who was the first to perform it in 1882. A single axel consists of 1 and 1/2 rotations in the air. For a jump with counterclockwise rotation, it has a takeoff from the left forward outside edge and a landing on the right back outside edge; this can be reversed for a clockwise jump. The axel can also be done as a double jump with 2 1/2 rotations, or as a triple with 3 1/2 rotations. No skater has yet accomplished a quadruple axel.

Axel variations

The jump with half a rotation from forward inside to backward outside is called a waltz jump. Any other rotational jump with a forward takeoff is generally considered to be a variation of the axel. These include:

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• A delayed axel is similar to a regular axel, but the skater takes a very open body position on the ascent of the jump before pulling in to complete the rotation before landing.
• In an open axel, the skater maintains an open body position throughout the jump without delaying the rotation.
• A tuck axel has the same take-off and landing as a regular axel, but the skater pulls the legs up into a tuck or sit spin position in the air.
• A half axel is a jump with a regular axel take-off but with only one rotation, landed forward (typically on the left toe pick and right forward inside edge, for a counterclockwise jump). This jump is sometimes also called a Bell jump.
• A one-foot axel is a 1 1/2 rotation jump with a regular axel take-off that lands on the back inside edge of the takeoff foot -- the left foot, for a counterclockwise jump. This jump is sometimes known (especially in artistic roller skating) as a Colledge, after 1937 World Champion Cecelia Colledge.
• An inside axel is a 1 1/2 rotation jump that takes off from a forward inside edge and lands on the back outside edge of the same foot -- the right foot, for a counterclockwise jump. This jump is sometimes known as a Boeckl, after its inventor Willy Boeckl.

In addition, an axel entrance can be used as a take-off for flying spins. An axel sit spin is also known as a flying reverse sit spin, and is essentially an axel jump landed in a back sit spin. Rarely, skaters may also attempt a double axel sit spin. In a flying open axel sit spin, also known as a death drop, the skater achieves an almost horizontal position in the air (by kicking the takeoff leg backwards and to the side, instead of bringing it forward) before landing in a back sit spin.

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In general, the International Skating Union's new "code of points" judging system discourages skaters from including variety jumps such as axel variants in their competitive programs, because they count towards the maximum number of permitted jumps but carry a much lower point value than any double or triple jump that the skater could perform instead. Likewise, the "code of points" treats all flying spins equally and does not reward the additional difficulty of a double axel sit spin.

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A toe axel is not a real jump, but is instead the name given to a flawed toe loop jump.

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