Rules

Demystifying the Judging System: Roles, Rules & Report Cards (Part 3 of 3)

This is the final instalment in a three-part series about Demystifying the Judging System. Read Part 1: Roles and Part 2: Rules.

Part 3: Report Cards

Overview

You’re in the Kiss and Cry after you skated. You’re jubilant after a season’s best performance, devastated after your worst performance ever, or somewhere in between. You’re huddled as a team, filled with anxiety, and at that moment, there are only two numbers in the world that matter: your total score, and your ranking.

At some point after the celebration or consolation, you’ll look at your team’s report card. Many coaches, skaters, parents, and fans have become well-versed at interpreting the wall of codes and numbers it displays. Many people just want to see the difficulty levels (“calls”), and give up on the rest because it looks confusing. If you’ve ever looked at a report card and thought, “What does this all mean?” keep reading. (more…)

2018-19 GOE and Program Component Guidelines

The ISU has published Communication 2190, which outlines new GOE and Program Component Guidelines. This is an especially important document this year, due to the change from a -3 to +3 scale to a -5 to +5 scale. This Communication replaces 2095 from last season. Here are the highlights. (more…)

New and Updated Synchronized Skating Rules

The ISU has released several Communications pertinent to synchronized skating in the past few weeks. At this time of year, revisions are published as quickly as new documents come out, so visit the ISU website often. You can avoid costly mistakes by ensuring you are following the most current set of rules as you design and refine your choreography.

Technical Requirements

Communication 2182 replaces 2159. This document explains all the things you need to do to get credit for the various difficulty levels. Think of it like a checklist of the requirements you need to meet to get a level called. (more…)

New GOE scale video: What the judges will be looking for

The ISU has released a webinar that provides a great overview of how the new GOE scale will be applied. Previously, judges awarded a GOE from -3 to +3 for each element a team executed. Starting this season, judges will award GOEs from -5 to +5 in all disciplines.

An official communication containing more details is expected to be published soon. In the meantime, check out this 27-minute video.