>> Regarding: http://www.unicycling.org/unicycling/skills/skills.html
>>
>> I’m not entirly clear on some of these skills. Can anyone clarify?
>
>Most of the skills in the levels are detailed in the IUF Standard Skills
>List in the IUF Rulebook:
>http://www.unicycling.org/iuf/rulebook/iufrules/7sslist.html
Actually, for some of these skills listed below, it depends on weather you
are looking at the USA or IUF skill levels. While the actual skills in
each level are the same, the USA has spelled out many of the details of
the skills while the IUF is a bit more vague. The IUF uses the Standard
Skill rules for interpetation sometimes making it hard to understand. As
far as I know, no unicycle organization tests using the IUF skill levels.
The biggest users of the skill levels, the USA and Germany, have both gone
through and drafted their own interpetations of the rules.
If you are using the skill levels to figure out what skill to learn next,
it doesn’t matter which version you use as the skills are the same. This
only matters if you are planning on testing. If you are interested in some
of the details of the rules, I have made some comments below.
To view the USA rulebook on level testing, I found it on the web in a pdf
file at http://www.unicycling.org/usa/rulebook/2001USA-Rulebook.pdf Page
39 to 42 detail the rules on level testing for the USA.
For those people talking about mounts for level 10, it is actually harder
than just coming up with 10 mounts. Under section 10.5, here is the
verbage on mounting for levels 7 to 10. “10.5.1 For Level 7 and above,
riders must mount to a skill other than riding or a standard idle. An
exception may be made if the mount is difficult (example: 360 spin side
jump mount). While the ending skill may be repeated, the mounts all have
to be different. Examples: Jump mount to one-foot idle, kick up mount to
wheel walk, or rolling mount to one-foot leg extended.”
One more note on the mounts, by the time a rider gets to the higher levels
where mounts get harder (level 7 and up), this is the easy part of the
level as the riders have such a high level of skill.
>> Level 3: Figure 8 with circle diameters smaller than 1.5 m – Is this
>> supposed to be a smooth figure 8 or is it OK to just jerk the unicyle
>> around the circles? 
I find 1.5 m to be VERY tight. There seems to
>> be some room for interpretation here. For example, I could use some
>> idling to cheat. Or I could jerk
>the
>> unicycle every half turn.
>
>Smooth is preferred, but not expected at this size and skill level. But
>you can’t go backward (or idle).
While 1.5 m sounds tight, I find that by the time a rider is level 3 and
practices this skill, it isn’t too hard. It doesn’t take that much
practice compared to some of the other skills in level 3 (such as stomach
on seat or getting over the obstacle).
>> Level 3: Stomach on seat – is this with hands off the seat?
>
>Yes (see rulebook above).
For the USA skill levels, one or both hands can be on the seat. For any
seat out skill in the USA, one or both hands can touch the seat. Here is
the official statement from the rulebook: “10.3.4 SEAT OUT SKILLS: In
seat out figures, the seat may touch the rider’s body but no weight may
rest upon it. Using 1 or both hands for taking the seat out or for
returning seat is permitted. During the skill, the seat may be held using
1 or 2 hands.”
>> Level 3: Sharp 180 degree turns – how sharp? Are these supposed
>to be
>> smooth turns? If so, what radius?
>
>You may be looking at an older version of the skill levels? Check out the
>one at the back of the IUF Rulebook, which specifies 1 meter:
>http://www.unicycling.org/iuf/rulebook/iufrules/10levels.html
The USA rulebook also goes into more detail on what is allowed for
this skill.
>> Level 3: 10x10 cm obstacle – where do you find an obstacle like
>that?
>
>If you nail two 2 x 4 pieces of lumber together, this is acceptable. You
>can ride or jump over it.
For the IUF, it can be only 10 X 10 cm. For the USA, two 2 x 4 pieces of
lumber can be nailed together or a 4 X 4 can be used as well.
>> Level 4: Seat out, front and back – does that mean the seat is
>held
>> away from the body? Or can it be held tightly against your legs?
>
>The IUF levels follow the Standard Skill rules, which say no to the
>above. The USA levels allow the seat to touch the body.
Above I listed the official verbage on this for the USA.
>I think this is the only area in which the skill levels differ.
Actually, there are quite a few things that are different. Many are minor
but if your planning on getting into level testing, it would be worth
knowing. My suggestion is that if you live in North America, I would
suggest using the USA levels.
-Andy
Andy Cotter - Andy.Cotter@OutTech.com Unicycle Video “One Wheel - No
Limit” - http://www.tcuc.org/nolimit/ Twin Cities Unicycle Club -
http://www.tcuc.org International Unicycling Federation - Director