Wednesday, March 13, 2013

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL






Descending from over-crowded Amtrak yesterday, gratefully home from cold, rainy, hostile Mannahatta, Caroline and Jane informed me that after two years off the ice, just getting back into it this week, Jane landed two perfect Axels *, high, strong, and graceful.

Flying.




Axel Paulsen


* The Axel is a figure skating jump with a forward take off. It is named after Norwegian figure skater Axel Paulsen. Paulsen was the first skater to perform the jump in 1882. An Axel jump has an extra ½ rotation in the air because of its forward take off. The jump takes off from the left forward outside edge and lands on the right back outside edge. Although the Axel has a counterclockwise rotation, it can be reversed for a clockwise jump. The Axel can also be done as a double jump with 2½ rotations, or as a triple jump with 3½ rotations. No skater has yet accomplished a quadruple Axel in competition.




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