Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps (Paperback or Softback)

"Nowadays, figure skating is largely about jumps and the impressiveness of how many spins you can make in the air. However, the jumps have not always been figure skating's most prominent feature. When did the jumps emerge, how, and why? Who invented them - if that is even possible to know? These questions are addressed in Ryan Stevens' book." - Anna Maria Hellborg, Department of Sport Sciences, Malmö University, Idrottsforum

Much has been written about figure skating jumps over the years, but most of it has focused on technique. Precious little has been written from a historical perspective.

Jam-packed with fascinating information about the origins and international evolution of figure skating jumps, "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" includes:

- Essays on the waltz jump, toe-loop, Salchow, loop, flip, Lutz, Axel, pairs throws, twists and side-by-side jumps. There is even a chapter devoted to the history of the backflip.
- Data on a wide variety of technical firsts achieved under the International Skating Union's IJS system.
- Dozens of compelling, little-known facts about the people who have been responsible for some of the biggest technical achievements in the world's most exciting winter sport.

If you love figure skating, you will not be able to put this book down. Order your copy today!

Award-winning author Ryan Stevens is a respected authority on figure skating history. For over a decade, his popular blog Skate Guard has attracted thousands of readers worldwide. Midwest Book Review describes his work as "informative, lively, and scholarly."

Ryan has contributed to Skating magazine and U.S. Figure Skating, and his expertise has been sought by museums and broadcasters including CBC, NBC and ITV. He is the author of Jackson Haines: The Skating King and Barbara Ann Scott: Queen of the Ice.

Ryan lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. You can follow his blog Skate Guard on Facebook @SkateGuard and Instagram @SkateGuardBlog.