The New Judging System in Figure Skating

"The international judging system is based on cumulative points rather than the 6.0 standard of marks and placement. It is different from the 6.0 system in many ways, including the addition of new officials involved in the process and the way scores are tabulated and displayed.

Under the international judging system, points are awarded for a technical score combined with points awarded for five additional components — skating skills, transitions, performance/execution, choreography/composition and interpretation. The exception to this is ice dancing, which in addition also uses one alternate component — timing. In the new system there are no deductions (except program length and other rules violations). If a skater performs more than the defined “well-balanced program” elements, there are no deductions, but the values of additional elements will not be calculated into the skater's score. If a skater performs less than the required elements, they receive fewer points, not deductions.

The system focuses on the skaters and not the judges. Judges no longer have to use their memory to compare all aspects of every skater and figure out where to place them, but they simply evaluate the qualities of the performance. Starting order does not impact a skater's score; in the old system starting early typically kept skaters' scores lower than if they had performed later in the competition. A skater can win coming from a much lower position as well — they no longer have to count on another skater's mistakes to climb the standings."

-www.usfsa.org

The Pros and Cons of the New System:

Pros:

1. The judges are forced to give you credit for what you actually do. In the old system a judge could basically ignore an element that a skater performed. Now, with the caller system, a skater is always given credit for every element, no matter how small.

2. Favors the well-rounded skater. Those that have the jumps, spins, footwork, presentation, and components will get the most points for all aspects of the sport. Johnny Weir is a good example of how he is able to place ahead of most people. He is solid in every aspect of skating. He is usually not the best at any, just the over-all best. This eliminates skaters that are heavily favored in just one area. Tim Gable-like jumpers won't find success, and purely gracefull skaters can't just win on presentation.

Cons:

1. Skaters still receive half of their overall score based on components, or the old presentation mark. These can often be swayed by judges preconceived ideas of the skater.

2. The component mark is often subjective depending on the style of presentation. What style works ffor the judges in the US doesn't always work with the judges abroad. This is most notably the Ryan Bradly effect. He can sway the cute skater role much better than he can internationally.

3. On each element a judge can give a +1 +2 or +3, depending on how well the skater delivered it. This could be on a jump, spin, footwork... all the technical aspects of the sport. So a skater's style, or facial expressions, or reputation can sway the technical elemt score as well. So in fact, the component and the technical score are often still the over-ruling bias among the judges.