Why don't we see summersaults in competitive figure skating?

In competitions, skaters are not allowed to do backflips and somersaults because any "feet over the head" rotation was deemed too dangerous for a sport without any padding or head protection by the International Skating Union (ISU) the international governing body of figure skating. That rule was put into place US Figure Skating also does not allow it during competitions. Performing one results in a mandatory deduction from the skater's scores.

Suraya Bonali (France) performed an already-illegal backflip in the 1998 Winter Olympics. She wanted to make a statement by doing the backflip as an insult to the judges. She landed it on one foot, which is even more difficult, but she was also an accomplished gymnast. Suraya was a great jumper but had really poor artistry, so she never did well in competitions and she chose this way to object to the judging system. Instead of focusing on her weaknesses and trying to overcome them, she more of less "flipped the bird" at the ISU.

Figure skating competition is not just doing jumps, much to Plushenko's and Joubert's disappointment. It's about having the whole package of music, artistry, spins, connecting moves, etc. Jumps are only a portion of the total score.

In Scott Hamilton's book "The Great Eight," he describes the dangers of learning a backflip and how long it took him to master that move. He trained with Michael Weiss' father, who was an Olympic gymnast, but Scott took a few falls that caused injuries, including a head injury. He, too, was able to land the backflip on one foot, and admits that it's really difficult.

Not having in competitions makes them even more exciting to see in shows, imo. Backflips are performed at shows and exhibitions fairly often because they're sensational to watch, which is why Hamilton only learned it after he retired from amateur competitions. He wanted to have a show-stopping signature move and he was very successful with it, until he was stricken by a brain tumor.

In competition, it is illegal for a singles skater to do moves where their feet are over their head. This would include any type of flip (but not the flip jump - very confusing, I know).

The exceptions would be moves like a death drop, where a skater's body is supposed to be flat like they are laying down in the air. Some may be able to get their legs over their head, but most of them can't (or don't). Additionally, a very rare skater may be able to do a split jump where their feet go above their head. I've never seen anyone do this...I would think that Sasha Cohen is the only person with even a chance at doing this.

As far as how hard they are, it is hard to LEARN, but once you have learned it, they are not that hard to execute (or that's what they tell me, lol). Doing a backflip in competition would likely score similarly to a single axel - if they were legal. :-)

Normal figure skating blades wouldn't allow you to do it. But if you search on YouTube for a backflip on ice (I think the man is called tornado) he has special blades that are joined at the back so he cannot trip. Also it is not specified in the list of accepted jumps therefore even if someone was to do a somersault they wouldn't get any points (but they are banned in competitions anyway)

Somersaults are EXTREMELY dangerous on the ice. Sure they might get you some extra points on your artistic score, but since somersaults aren't really a figure skating move, there really isn't a point value for it. And I think I do recall that this move was banned from competitions because of the risk factor.

We don't see them in competition because they are illegal. However, Somersaults were not always illegal. Up until the 1976 Olympics somersaults were completely legal, quite frankly because nobody had done them in competition. In the 1976 the first somersault was done in competition and consequently made illegal. This is because the somersault is considered a 'trick'.

Well yes they are difficult, but as everyone else has said, they are also very dangerous.

In competitions, backflips, front flips, and somersaults are illegal elements. Meaning if you do one in your program, you will get points taken away rather than put on.

Hope thos helps!

Yes, it's very difficult. And DANGEROUS.

If skater did somersault, I think that the amount of injuries would go up by a lot, mostly because of the blades getting in the way.

You've seen summersaults in exhibitions? O_O

I think you mean a backflip. Surya Bonaly did plenty and once in competition before it was banned. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIauMJCnvuE&feature...

i agree that summersualts are difficult but doing it would be rather dangerous espicially when there's blades on your feet and your on ice which could give way if you land too hard...

i'm sure you would'nt want to see many accidents from figure skating would you?

hoped this helped.