Skate UK - Grade 9

Below is a breakdown of the requirements for progressing through the 10 stages of Skate UK

    "At this point the skater must be proficient with the concept of gliding backwards on the ice with ease. Forward beginner cross rolls are introduced with the goal of introducing the concept of using the outside edge to generate power for an outside edge"

    Forward Beginner Cross-Rolls
    From moving foward, strike a right forward outside curve with the left free leg extended to the back. Keep your skating knee bent strongly. Bring the left free leg slowly toward the skating foot and turn the left free foot inward slightly. Brush it past the right skating foot and cross the free leg in front of the skating foot. Place it onto the ice on a left forward outside edge. Push from the right forward outside edge of the back leg and lift it into the extended position. Turn the right foot inward slightly and brush it past the left skating foot. Cross the free leg in front of the skating foot and place on the ice on a right forward outside edge. Push from the left forward outside edge of back leg and lift into the extended position. This movement performed consecutively on alternative legs creates cross-rolls in a serpentine pattern across the ice

    Bunny Hop
    From moving foward, slowly at first. Push onto a right forward glide on the flat of the blade holding the free leg behind in an extended glide position with the left arm leading. Swing the left free leg to the front and take off from the toepick of the right skating foot. Silultaniously the arms should change so that the right arm is in front of the body as the left leg swings forward. Land on the toepick of the left leg and push onto a flat gliding edge with the right foot with the free leg extended to the back. Rotating the arms back to the original position, the left arm leading. Start and finish in the same position.

    Backward edges, both feet, both edges
    For backward outside edges, start from moving backwards with two backward pushes, left then right. Push onto a left back outside edge with the right free leg extended to the front. Arms should be held paralell to the ice, left arm behind the body and over the tracing of the curve. The right arm should be held directly over the extended free leg, arms to the inside of the circle. Standing on a bent skating knee, bring the heel of the right leg toward the left skating foot. As the feet draw level turn the toes in towards the in-step, bend both knees and rotate the shoulders and arms to the opposite side, right arm back over the tracing of the outside edge. Allow the left ankle to roll onto a change of edge quickly to transfer the weight onto the inside edge ready to push. Push from the left back inside edge onto the right back outside edge with the left leg extended to the front. Repeat consecutively to create a serpentine pattern across the ice. For backward inside edges, start from moving backwards with two backward pushes, left then right. Push onto a left back inside edge with the right free leg extended to the front. Arms should be held parallel to the ice and out to the sides, the left arm should be held behind over the tracing of the curve and the right arm should be held directly over the extended right free leg. Arms to the outside of the circle. Standing on a bent skating knee, bring the heel of the right leg toward the left skating foot as the feet draw level turn the toes in towards the in-step. Bend both knees and rotate the shoulders and arms to the opposite side. Right arm back over the tracing. Push from the left back inside edge onto a right back inside edge with the left leg extended to the front. Repeat consecutively to create a serpentine pattern across the ice.

    Two backward crossovers, followed by sustained backward inside curve (count of 3)
    On completion of the second crossover, remain on the right back inside edge. Keep the skating knee bent strongly and extend the left free leg to the back. The arms should be held parallel to the ice and out to the side. The left arm should be held back inline with the left free leg and right arm should be leading over the tracing of the circle in a clockwise direction. Repeat in the opposite direction on alternate feet.