What adjustment should be made if less than a quarter of the team attempts a pi?

When assessing a situation where less than a quarter of the team attempts a particular performance element, such as a "pi," the appropriate adjustment is to lower the level of that element by one tier. This is based on the evaluation criteria used in synchronized skating, which emphasize the importance of team execution and participation.

The rationale behind this decision is to encourage teams to adequately execute the element while understanding that participation is essential for demonstrating the skill across the entire group. Lowering the level allows the judging panel to more accurately reflect the effort and execution of the team as a whole. If fewer skaters participate than required for the element, it indicates that the team may not have effectively trained or prepared for that level of complexity, thus merits a reduction.

This approach keeps the competition fair and encourages teams to work towards improved execution and collaboration without resorting to punitive measures, such as disqualification, which would be too severe for teams showing some level of effort. Other options, like raising the difficulty or calling for a re-attempt, do not appropriately address the lack of participation and could lead to misrepresentation of a team’s capabilities in the competition context.