Competition is a central component of U.S. Figure Skating’s development platform for skaters of all levels, whether they’re looking to advance in the qualifying pipeline or simply hone their skills. By engaging with peers in a competitive environment, skaters develop lifelong skills like resilience, competitive spirit and cooperation, which hold value both on the ice and off.
For more information from U.S. Figure Skating, click here.
Types of Events
There are many qualifying and non-qualifying competitions skaters can partake in. The types of events include:
- Singles
- Pairs
- Partnered Ice Dance
- Solo Dance
- Synchronized Skating
- Showcase
- Specialty
- Compete USA Events
- Adaptive Skating
- High School Skating
- Synchronized Skating
The level a skater competes is is dependent on their free skate testing level, which in turn, has requirements from the skating skills tests. More information on testing can be found here.
6.0 vs IJS Scoring System
International Judging System
In the International Judging System (IJS), competitors accumulate points based on the degree of difficulty (base value) of each technical element and how well each element is executed (grade of execution, or GOE). Skaters also earn points based on their overall skating ability and performance level through program component scores.
Officials consist of a Technical Panel and Judges. Each element of the program is assigned a base value, which gives skaters credit for every element they perform. Some elements, such as spins and step sequences, have levels of difficulty on which the base values are established. Judges grade the quality of each element using a grade of execution score within a range of -5 to +5, which is added to or deducted from the base value. GOEs are proportional to the base value of each element.
The judges will award points on a scale from 0.25 to 10 (in increments of 0.25) for three program components to grade overall presentation. As with GOEs, the highest and lowest scores for each component are thrown out, and the remaining scores are averaged. The final program components scores are then multiplied by a set factor to ensure the total element score and program components score are balanced.
The three program components are:
Composition – The intentional, developed and/or original arrangement of the repertoire of all types of movements into a meaningful whole according to the principles of proportion, unity, space, pattern and musical structure.
Presentation – The demonstration of engagement, commitment and involvement based on an understanding of the music and composition.
Skating Skills – The ability of the skater to execute the skating repertoire of steps, turns and skating movement, with blade and body control.
The total element score is added to the program components score to determine the segment score (short program/rhythm dance or free skate/dance). The scores for each segment are then added together to determine the competition score. The skater with the highest competition score is declared the winner.
The IJS is used at events in the national qualifying structure including the U.S. Championships as well as many local competitions at the juvenile through senior levels, including Excel.
6.0 Judging System
The 6.0 system has been the longstanding judging system for figure skating. Today, U.S. Figure Skating uses it for Compete USA events and many nonqualifying competitions, particularly at the pre-juvenile level and below.
The basic principle of the 6.0 system is a “majority” system. Each event is judged by an odd number of judges, and the winner of the event is the skater placed highest by a majority of these judges.
For all singles and pairs events and the free dance, judges award two marks: one for technical merit and one for program presentation. The technical merit mark expresses a judge’s evaluation of the quality of the required elements skated. The presentation mark reflects a judge’s assessment of the program as a whole — its composition, originality, use of ice, skater’s style and expression of the music.
Each judge will award marks ranging from 0.0 to 6.0, based on the following scale:
0 – not skated
1 – very poor
2 – poor
3 – mediocre
4 – good
5 – very good
6 – outstanding