Figure Skating Score Sheet

This score sheet follows the IJS structure used at ISU-sanctioned competitions(opens in new tab) worldwide. It is split into two parts: the Technical Element Score (TES) table below, which lists individual elements with columns for base value, GOE, and total element score, and the Program Component Score (PCS) table that follows. The number of elements varies by event level and segment (short program has fewer required elements than the free skate). This sheet shows a common short program layout with seven elements, but you can add rows for free skate programs that include up to twelve elements.

Technical Element Score (TES)

Program Component Scores (PCS)

After the 2022-23 season, the ISU consolidated the five original component categories into three: Skating Skills, Composition (previously Transitions + Choreography), and Presentation (previously Performance + Interpretation). Each component is scored from 0.25 to 10.00, then multiplied by a factor that varies by event and segment. The factored scores are summed to produce the total PCS.

Calculating the Total Segment Score

The formula is straightforward: Total Segment Score = TES + PCS - Deductions. Add the Technical Element Score (sum of all element scores after GOE adjustments) to the Program Component Score (sum of all factored component scores), then subtract any deductions for falls, time violations, or rule infractions. The short program score and free skate score are added together for the competition total.

The 6.0 system was the standard for international figure skating from 1901 until 2004, when the ISU replaced it with the IJS following judging controversies at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics(opens in new tab). Today, the 6.0 system is still used at many U.S. Figure Skating Compete USA events, club competitions, and non-qualifying local competitions, particularly at the pre-juvenile level and below.

Under 6.0, each judge awards two marks per skater: Technical Merit (quality and difficulty of elements) and Presentation (choreography, expression, musicality, ice coverage). Both marks range from 0.0 to 6.0 in increments of 0.1. Placement is determined by majority ordinal ranking, meaning each judge ranks the skaters, and the skater placed highest by a majority of judges wins.

Reading 6.0 Scores

• 5.6 to 5.9: Excellent. Reserved for programs with strong technical content and polished presentation. Rare at local events.
• 5.0 to 5.5: Very good. Solid programs with minor errors or areas for improvement.
• 4.0 to 4.9: Good. Competent skating with noticeable room for growth in technique or presentation.
• Below 4.0: Developing. Skater is still building fundamental skills and confidence on the ice.

Figure skating uses two scoring systems depending on the competition level. The International Judging System (IJS)(opens in new tab) is the standard for all ISU international events, the Olympics, and U.S. Figure Skating qualifying competitions. The older 6.0 system is still used at some local and non-qualifying events. The fundamental difference is that IJS scores are cumulative (skaters earn points for every element, and the highest total wins), while the 6.0 system is ordinal (judges rank skaters relative to each other, and majority placement determines the winner).

How the IJS Works in Practice

A technical panel identifies each element in real time as the skater performs: jump type, number of rotations, spin level, and step sequence level. A separate panel of judges scores each element's quality (GOE) and the three program components. The highest and lowest GOE scores for each element are dropped, and the remaining scores are averaged. This trimmed-mean approach reduces the impact of any single outlier judge. The base value of each element comes from the ISU Scale of Values(opens in new tab), which is updated each season to reflect changes in difficulty recognition.

Grade of Execution is the quality adjustment applied to each technical element. After the technical panel identifies the element and assigns its base value, each judge scores the quality on a scale from -5 to +5. A positive GOE adds points to the base value, while a negative GOE subtracts. The adjustment amount varies by element type: a +3 GOE on a triple Axel adds more raw points than a +3 on a single loop because the percentage is applied to a higher base value.

What Judges Look For in Positive GOE

• Jumps: Height, distance, clean takeoff edge, secure landing on one foot, good flow out of the landing, speed maintained through the element
• Spins: Speed of rotation, number of revolutions above the minimum, centered position, clean transitions between positions, strong final position
• Step sequences: Deep edges, variety of turns (brackets, counters, rockers, twizzles), body movement that matches the music, speed maintained throughout

Coaches who want their practice scoring to reflect IJS GOE standards can define custom evaluation criteria in Striveon so every judge or volunteer at a club event applies the same quality scale.

Figure skating scores have no fixed maximum, which makes them harder to interpret than sports with a 10.0 or 100-point ceiling. A score that looks high at one competition level may be average at another. The table below gives approximate ranges for each competitive level, from first-time competitors through Olympic medalists. These ranges shift over time as the ISU updates base values and component factors.

Ranges are approximate and based on recent U.S. Figure Skating and ISU competition results. Actual scores vary by season, segment (short program vs. free skate), and discipline (singles, pairs, ice dance).

Why Scores Keep Rising

Unlike gymnastics or diving with fixed difficulty caps, figure skating scores are open-ended. When skaters land harder elements (quad jumps, for example) and earn higher GOE for quality execution, the total rises. The ISU occasionally adjusts base values to rebalance scoring, but the long-term trend has been upward. A men's score above 300 total was unheard of before 2017. By the 2022 Olympics, Nathan Chen cleared 330. For coaches working with developing skaters, tracking score trends across competitions with Striveon shows whether training changes are translating to scoring improvements, even when absolute numbers fluctuate between events.

All four discipline records under the current IJS scoring system were set at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. These scores represent the highest combined totals (short program + free skate) achieved in Olympic competition.

Source: ISU official statistics(opens in new tab). Olympic records are a subset of all-time records. Some all-time highs have been set at World Championships and Grand Prix events.

Context for These Scores

Nathan Chen's 332.60 included a short program with a quad flip, quad Lutz, and triple Axel, all with positive GOE, plus a free skate with five clean quad jumps. Papadakis and Cizeron's ice dance record reflected Level 4 on every element with GOE consistently above +3 across the panel. These scores sit at the very top of what the current scoring system has produced. For reference, a strong national-level senior man typically scores between 140 and 200. An Olympic medalist in women's singles usually clears 220.

Whether you are a coach running mock competitions at practice, a parent tracking your child's progress across events, or a volunteer helping at a local competition, the process below applies to both IJS and 6.0 score sheets.

Before the Event

• Determine which scoring system the event uses (IJS or 6.0). Check with the competition organizer or the event announcement
• Print enough score sheets for every skater in every flight. Bring extras for reprints
• If using IJS, confirm the segment (short program or free skate) and the number of required elements for that level. A juvenile short program has fewer elements than a senior free skate
• Review the GOE scale and program components criteria so the scoring standards are fresh

During the Program

• IJS technical elements: Write the element abbreviation in the Element column as the skater performs it (3Lz for triple Lutz, CCoSp4 for Level 4 change-foot combination spin). Note the base value from the Scale of Values chart. Score GOE for each element as soon as it completes. Use the Notes column for specifics like "under-rotated by quarter" or "excellent air position."
• IJS program components: Score Skating Skills, Composition, and Presentation after the full program. These require watching the entire performance to assess ice coverage, program structure, and expressive quality. Score each on a 0.25 to 10.00 scale.
• 6.0 system: Watch the full program before assigning Technical Merit and Presentation marks. These are holistic assessments, not element-by-element scores.

After the Program

• For IJS: sum all element scores (base value + GOE) for the TES. Sum all factored component scores for the PCS. Subtract deductions. TES + PCS - Deductions = Total Segment Score
• For 6.0: record Technical Merit and Presentation marks. Rank the skaters based on your marks. The competition tabulator combines rankings from all judges using majority ordinals
• Keep completed sheets until official results are confirmed. Score inquiries happen, and your original notes are the primary reference

Common Deductions

Paper score sheets work well for individual events and local competitions. Over a full season of competitions (regionals, sectionals, and beyond), paper creates the same problem it does in every sport: data lives in stacks of printed sheets that nobody compiles until the end of the year, if ever.

When Paper Works

• Single-event club competitions where results are posted on-site
• Practice judging sessions where coaches train new officials
• 6.0 events at the pre-juvenile level and below, where the judging panel is small and scores are simple

Why Season-Long Records Need a Spreadsheet or Platform

• Comparing technical element scores across multiple competitions to see which elements are improving and which need work
• Tracking program component growth over a season. A skater whose Presentation score climbs from 5.50 to 6.75 between October and March is making measurable progress
• Sharing score breakdowns with skaters and parents after each event so feedback is specific and grounded in data
• Connecting competition scores with training goals to see whether off-ice conditioning, choreography sessions, or jump technique work is showing up in results

Platforms like Striveon let you set up custom evaluation criteria that mirror IJS scoring categories, so your practice assessments and competition results use the same language. Connecting practice evaluations with competition outcomes shows coaches exactly where their training is producing results. Explore how Striveon connects practice evaluations with competition tracking for long-term athlete development.