Reference
ISU Scoring History
The International Judging System (IJS) has evolved significantly since replacing the 6.0 system in 2004. Understanding these changes is essential when comparing scores across different eras.
Scoring Eras at a Glance
±3 GOE2004–2018
IJS v1 — Original
- GOE: −3 to +3
- 5 components
- 12 → 9 judges
±5 GOE2018–2022
IJS v2 — Expanded GOE
- GOE: −5 to +5
- 5 components
- Reduced quad BV
±5 GOE · 3C2022–present
IJS v3 — Simplified
- GOE: −5 to +5
- 3 components
- Shorter programs
Timeline of Changes
2004–05IJS Adopted
- ·International Judging System (IJS) replaces the 6.0 system after the 2002 Salt Lake City judging scandal
- ·GOE scale: −3 to +3
- ·Five program components introduced: Skating Skills, Transitions, Performance/Execution, Choreography/Composition, Interpretation
- ·12-judge panels with anonymous scoring
- ·10% bonus on all second-half jumps
- ·Flat −1.00 fall deduction
2008–09Panel Size Reduced
- ·Judge panel reduced from 12 to 9
2010–11Ice Dance Restructured
- ·Compulsory Dance and Original Dance eliminated
- ·Replaced by Short Dance + Free Dance (3 segments → 2)
- ·Underrotation two-tier system: "<" (¼ to ½ short, ~70% BV) vs "<<" (½+, downgraded)
2016–17Judging Transparency
- ·Anonymous judging abolished — judges publicly identified
2018–19Major Overhaul
- ·GOE expanded to −5 to +5 (largest single-season change)
- ·Second-half bonus restricted: last 1 jump (SP), last 3 jumps (FS) — the "Zagitova Rule"
- ·Quad jump base values reduced 8–14%
- ·Only one type of quad repeatable in free skate
- ·Short Dance renamed to Rhythm Dance
- ·Escalating fall deductions: falls 1–2: −1.0, falls 3–4: −2.0, falls 5+: −3.0
2020–21Quarter Call
- ·"q" call introduced for jumps landing on the quarter — full base value but limited positive GOE
- ·Three-tier rotation system: q (on the quarter) → < (under-rotated) → << (downgraded)
2022–23Component Reduction
- ·Program components reduced from 5 to 3: Skating Skills, Composition, Presentation
- ·Men's free skate shortened from 4:30 to 4:00 (equal to ladies)
- ·Men's jump passes reduced from 8 to 7
- ·Senior ice dance pattern dance requirement removed
2024–25Quints Added
- ·Quintuple jump base values added to Scale of Values (all at 14.00 BV)
GOE: ±3 vs ±5
The Grade of Execution (GOE) reflects how well an element was performed. In 2018, the ISU expanded the scale to allow more nuanced judging of exceptional performances.
| Aspect | ±3 Era (2004–2018) | ±5 Era (2018–present) |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | −3 to +3 | −5 to +5 |
| Steps | 7 levels (−3, −2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3) | 11 levels (−5 through +5) |
| Max positive impact | Up to +3.00 (varies by element) | Up to +5.00 (varies by element) |
| Max negative impact | Down to element's negative BV | Down to element's negative BV |
Program Components Evolution
Program Component Scores (PCS) evaluate the overall quality of a performance beyond individual elements. The ISU reduced components from five to three in 2022 to simplify judging.
2004–20225 components
Skating SkillsTransitionsPerformanceCompositionInterpretation of the Music
2022–present3 components
Skating SkillsCompositionPresentation
Note: Component names also varied slightly by era and discipline. Ice dance used names like “Linking Footwork / Movement” and “Interpretation / Timing” in earlier seasons.
Ice Dance Format Evolution
| Era | Format | Segments |
|---|---|---|
| 2004–2010 | Compulsory Dance + Original Dance + Free Dance | 3 |
| 2010–2018 | Short Dance + Free Dance | 2 |
| 2018–present | Rhythm Dance + Free Dance | 2 |
Other Notable Changes
Judge Panel Size
- ·2004–2008: 12 judges
- ·2008–present: 9 judges
Judging Transparency
- ·2004–2016: Anonymous judging
- ·2016–present: Judges publicly identified
Rotation Calls
- ·2004: " <<" downgrade only
- ·2010: "<" under-rotation added
- ·2020: "q" quarter call added
Fall Deductions
- ·2004–2018: Flat −1.00 per fall
- ·2018–present: Escalating (−1.0, −2.0, −3.0)
Comparing Scores Across Eras
Why raw scores shouldn't be directly compared
- ·A GOE of +3.00 meant a perfect execution in the ±3 era, but is only “good” in the ±5 era
- ·Base values for jumps were reduced in 2018 — a quad that was worth 10.30 BV might only be worth 9.70 BV now
- ·Component scores had five categories until 2022, then three — the weighting and factors changed
- ·The second-half bonus rules changed, affecting total element scores for programs with late jumps
Throughout LutzLoop, era badges indicate which scoring system was used for each score. Look for the colored tags next to scores.