Event
Balance beam

Skill type
Dance

Value
A
(downgraded from B to A in 2022)
(upgraded from A to B in 2017)

Known as
Split leap

About
The split leap on beam is the more elegant cousin of the wretched, bridge-dwelling split jump, but one that does not receive its due. While the split jump is valued at B (0.2) and is therefore nearly compulsory in elite beam routines for churning out mixed and series bonus, the split leap is an A (0.1), ineligible for bonus, and therefore nearly pointless.

As for the difference between a leap and a jump, a leap is propelled forward from one foot, while a jump is propelled upward from both feet.

The split leap did spend the Tokyo Olympic cycle as a B element and was more common as part of mixed series options in those years, but it was returned to A value in 2022 and shoved right back into its Cinderella corner.

There is also the option of initiating this leap in stag position before reaching split, but then again…why?