What to know about figure skating scoring ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics
As the 2026 Winter Games begin, here’s a breakdown of how Olympic figure skating is judged, and why there’s no such thing as a perfect score anymore.
WASHINGTON — One of the most popular competitions during the Winter Olympics is figure skating, known for its blend of artistry and athleticism.
If you’re wondering how scoring in figure skating actually works, and what counts as a “perfect” performance, here’s what to know as 142 of the world’s best skaters compete in Italy, according to US Figure Skating rules.
What is a perfect score in figure skating?
Technically, there’s no fixed “perfect score” under today’s judging system. The International Judging System (IJS), used at events like the Olympics, awards skaters cumulative points based on the difficulty and execution of each element in their program, along with overall presentation.
Each jump, spin or sequence has a base value, which reflects how challenging it is. Judges then assign a Grade of Execution (GOE), ranging from -5 to +5, which is added to or subtracted from that base value. Judges get rid of the highest and lowest GOEs, and the remaining scores are averaged.
In addition to technical elements, skaters are judged in three categories called program components. The categories are composition, presentation and skating skills.
Each of these components is scored from 0.25 to 10, and those scores are also averaged, with the highest and lowest removed, and multiplied by a set factor to balance with the technical score.
The combined total of the technical elements and program components forms what’s called the segment score, for the short program/rhythm dance or free skate/dance. The final competition score then adds the scores of both segments together.
There used to be a way for Olympic figure skaters to earn a perfect score, through the 6.0 scoring system. But that format was retired at the Olympic level in 2004.
Although no longer used at the Olympics, it still appears at some US Figure Skating events, mainly at the local and beginner level.
Under the 6.0 system, judges scored skaters on a scale from 0.0 to 6.0 in two areas, technical merit and presentation. A perfect 6.0 score was rare, as the system didn’t break down scores by individual elements and relied heavily on subjective placements.
With the International Judging System, judges “don’t have to use their memory to compare all aspects of each skater and figure out where to place them, but simply evaluate the qualities of each performance,” US Figure Skating explains.
What’s considered a good score?
Since scores vary and depend on each specific routine and the values assigned to each element, there’s no singular measure for a “good score,” but at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, performances that made it to the podium typically scored well over 200 points, with the top women scoring over 233 points and the top male skaters scoring over 293.
