Axel jump facts for kids

A single Axel jump from start to finish

Step 1: The skater gets ready for the Axel

Step 2: The skater kicks up into the Axel

Step 3: The skater spins in the air

Step 4: The skater lands the jump

The Axel jump is a special jump in figure skating. It is one of the most famous and easily recognized jumps in the sport. What makes the Axel unique is that it's the only jump where the skater starts by moving forward. All other jumps begin with the skater moving backward.

Because all figure skating jumps are landed going backward, the Axel jump needs an extra half-turn (or half-rotation) in the air compared to other jumps. This means a single Axel has one and a half rotations, a double Axel has two and a half rotations, and a triple Axel has three and a half rotations.

History of the Axel Jump

This amazing jump is named after Axel Paulsen from Norway. He was a famous skater who invented the jump a long time ago.

First Axel Performances

Many skaters have made history with the Axel jump:

• The first male skater to land a double Axel in a competition was Dick Button.
• The first female skater to land a double Axel was Carol Heiss Jenkins.
• The first male skater to land a triple Axel in a competition was Vern Taylor.
• The first female skater to land a triple Axel was Midori Ito.

In pairs skating, a "throw jump" is when one skater helps their partner jump higher. The first pair to land a throw triple Axel were Rena Inoue and John Baldwin.

Types of Axel Jumps

The Axel jump can be done with different numbers of spins in the air:

• A single Axel has one and a half rotations.
• A double Axel has two and a half rotations.
• A triple Axel has three and a half rotations.

Most skaters who compete at junior and senior levels usually perform a double Axel. Many senior-level male skaters can also land a triple Axel.

Landing a triple Axel is very difficult, especially for female skaters. Only a small number of female figure skaters have successfully landed a triple Axel in competition. Some of these amazing athletes include Midori Ito (who was the first!), Tonya Harding, Mao Asada (who landed three triple Axels in one competition!), and Mirai Nagasu.

Scoring the Axel Jump

In figure skating, each jump has a "base value" that helps judges score it. According to the International Judging System, a triple Axel jump is worth 8.0 points. A double Axel jump is worth 3.3 points.

Common Mix-Ups

The Axel is so famous that many people mistakenly call all figure skating jumps "Axel jumps." This can cause confusion, especially in sports news. For example, in 2006, a news report incorrectly said that Miki Ando was the first female skater to land a "quad Salchow" in an international competition. The Salchow is a completely different jump, but because the Axel is so well-known, people sometimes use its name for other jumps by mistake.

Images for kids

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  Norwegian figure skater Axel Paulsen, who created the Axel jump

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  Japanese figure skater Midori Ito, the first female skater to land a triple Axel