This element used to be named after Gina Gogean in the code of points, and it’s one of the rare cases when we can get behind a skill being taken away from a gymnast over time because Gogean’s attempt was of “girl no” status.

Unfortunately, getting the height to both hit an actual split position and wrench around 1.5 twists proves to be too much for the majority of gymnasts attempting this skill, to the point where—at best—it looks like a ragged, wrenched-around, cynical D-score ploy, and at worst, also gets downgraded to a full twist. It usually gets downgraded to a full twist.

The split leap 1.5’s status as a D-value dance element (so worth exactly the same thing as performing a double pike tumbling pass but without all that exhausting flipping and hard landings) has made it exceptionally worthwhile for gymnasts to attempt.

Recent release “Beyond the Covered Veil,” from Newman Springs Publishing author Wesley B. Herndon, is a short story collection seeking to bring the author’s imagination to life.