Recognition of a “Lower Phase” in Straight-Line

Dear judges, coaches and gymnasts,

After having received a few questions about the handling of STL structure group IX “moves with difficulty in lower phase”, we decided to publish a clarification regarding the recognition of difficulty and structure groups:

On page 75 of the STL difficulty catalogue you will find the following text: “If one of the following lower phases is performed directly after an upper phase with D difficulty, the difficulty of the upper phase will be counted and not the difficulty of the lower phase.”

This regulation implies that if C19 (angled sitting with 1/1 turn and take-off from floor, page 76 of the STL difficulty catalogue) is performed after a D element in the upper phase, the difficulty value of C19 will not be recognised, but the structure group IX will be counted.

In the special case of a D element performed in the upper phase followed by D31b (= C19 followed by C7 a free knee swing into bridge forwards, see page 141 of the STL difficulty catalogue), the difficulty value of C19 will still not be recognised, but it will upgrade C7 to a D element.

The structure group IX will be counted in both cases.

We hope that this clarification will help you to handle these cases in future competitions.

Kind regards,

IRV Judging Team