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Browning has a beef
| Source: |
Calgary Sun |
| Date: |
March 22, 2006 |
| Author: |
Angela Macisaac |
Kurt Browning knows how tough the quad is.
After all, he was the first man to successfully land one in
competition. But he says the International Skating Union isn't giving
it enough credit in the new point-scoring system.
"They should give the quad a tiny bit more credit than a spin," said
the four-time world and Canadian champion from Caroline, Alta., who
will be inducted tomorrow into the World Skating Hall of Fame.
"Let me put it this way: I don't think that, at 40, I should be able
to get on the ice and do a combination (spin) that gets me as many
points as a quad. And I can. I could probably go out there right now
and do it. I know that, exponentially, the quad is much harder than
all the other stuff."
The new system is even keeping skaters from attempting the quad. And
that's because they're busy staying up to snuff on the other elements,
Browning said.
"In my day, we were all trying quads," he said. "Now they have to hold
four different directions for a spin. Basically, we could pick spins
and footwork that we felt comfortable doing. Not spins and footwork
that we had to do. These guys have to do so many things."
The sport is also missing a bit of its flair, he added. "Spins and
footwork are up but the whole look of competition is down," he
said.
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