Having just taken the tests for levels 3&4 (I passed 3), I figured I’d write up
some hints for others who have not taken level tests yet. This will end up on
the home page somewhere. In the meantime, I’d like comments on the document. I
avoided strong statements, since this is based purely on my personal experience
with judges, but if anyone can provide backing or more detail for my suggestions
I would appreciate it. And also, of course, you are free to correct me, or add
more hints that I haven’t thought of.
Thanks, Beirne
HINTS FOR LEVEL TESTING
This document will help you prepare for your IUF level tests. I don’t have
any shortcuts, but will generally base my recommendations on the hardest
judge I have come across. If you prepare for the worst, you should be ready
for anything. Also, remember that this document is just opinions. The rules
of the IUF and your unicycling organization are what count.
Mounts
It is good to know a separate mount for every level. You may not be able to
count left and right mounts as two, except for level two, where you need to
do both forms of the standard mount.
Order
Be able to do the skills in any order, without dismounting in between skills.
Previous Levels
Don’t forget your old skills, like mounting left footed or riding with your
stomach on the seat. Some judges require that you redo all you previous
levels before showing them the one you are testing for. You also may be
required to redo the full set of mounts for each of the levels, so make sure
you can do the mounts consistently.
Recovery
Remember that you have to start and stop each riding skill (except for the
side mount) from the normal riding position. If you can’t get back to a
normal riding position you will not get credit for the skill.
Specific skills
RIDING OVER A 10X10CM BLOCK
I don’t think that you are allowed to do things like getting off of the
unicycle, lining up the wheel, rolling it backwards, and mounting. This seems
to favor jumping over the block, since I don’t know how to reliably roll over
the block without being able to ride up to the block, back up, adjust
position, and ride forward again. Riding backwards is a level 4 skill,
though, which this skill should not assume knowledge of.
IDLING 25 TIMES
This means that your foot must go across and come back 25 times.
_________________________________________________________________
Beirne Konarski <bkonarsk@mcs.kent.edu>