How Figure Skating Scores Appear Live At Torino 2019
At the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Turin, audiences could follow each performance through a constantly changing stream of numbers. At Palavela, those figures appeared on arena screens, results displays and broadcast graphics within seconds of a jump, spin or step sequence. For Australian viewers, the same information made an overnight broadcast from Turin easier to understand, especially when a skater’s ranking changed before the final result was confirmed.
The scoring system combines technical difficulty, execution quality, programme composition and performance. A spectacular quadruple jump may earn a strong base value, but a shaky landing can reduce its score. A polished programme can receive high component marks, while a fall brings a separate deduction. The total is therefore built in layers rather than decided by a single overall impression.
Live scoring is also a process of verification. Technical specialists identify what a skater attempted, judges assess the quality of each element, and officials review uncertain calls. The first number shown on screen is useful, but it may be adjusted before the segment result becomes official.
This guide explains how those calculations worked during the Senior and Junior competitions at Torino 2019. It also shows how to read real-time displays from Australia, whether watching in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or elsewhere with a cup of coffee during the Turin morning.
How A Skating Score Is Built
A skater’s segment score has two main parts: the Technical Element Score, or TES, and the Programme Component Score, or PCS. Deductions are then subtracted. In a short programme, the total is calculated from the required elements and the programme components. In a free skate, the programme contains more elements, so the technical portion usually has a larger influence.
Every element starts with a base value listed in the ISU Scale of Values. A triple lutz, flying spin or step sequence has a different starting point. The technical panel determines what element was performed and, where relevant, assigns a level of difficulty. A level-four spin has a higher base value than a level-two spin, provided the requirements for the higher level are genuinely met.
Judges then score the quality of the element using the Grade of Execution, commonly shortened to GOE. Under the scoring system used at the 2019 Final, GOE ran from -5 to +5. The GOE value was converted into points for that particular element and added to, or taken away from, its base value. This means two skaters performing the same jump can receive noticeably different technical scores.
Who Produces Each Number
The technical panel and the judging panel have different responsibilities. The technical specialist identifies the element, confirms its level and can call issues such as an under-rotation or an edge violation. The judges do not decide whether a jump was a triple or a double; they evaluate how well the confirmed element was executed.
Judges also award points for five programme components: skating skills, transitions, performance, composition and interpretation of the music. Each component is scored on a 0.25-to-10 scale. The scores are combined using discipline-specific factors, because components should not overwhelm the technical result in the same way across every segment.
The event referee oversees the competition and applies deductions for matters such as falls, time violations or costume problems. A fall usually carries a one-point deduction in the 2019 rules, while other infractions can have different penalties. These deductions are separate from a judge’s negative GOE, so a poor landing can reduce the element score and then a fall may create an additional loss.
From Element To Screen
The path from performance to public display is remarkably quick. As the skater completes an element, the technical panel records its identification and any provisional call. Judges enter their GOE and component marks through the official scoring system. A data operator then combines the information and sends a live graphic to the arena and broadcast feed.
A display may show the element code, its base value, the GOE range or average, the element total and the running segment score. Some graphics use abbreviations that look cryptic at first. “BV” refers to base value, “GOE” indicates execution points, and “TES” is the accumulated technical score. A provisional rank may appear beside the total while other competitors are still waiting to skate.
The speed of the update does not mean every decision is permanent. A jump can be marked with a review symbol, or a technical call can be changed after officials examine video. The system is designed to give spectators a timely picture without treating every early number as final.
Useful details to watch for include:
- The element name or code, which identifies what the panel believes was performed
- The base value, showing how much difficulty the element carried before execution marks
- The GOE, indicating whether the judges rewarded or penalised quality
- The running TES and PCS, which reveal how the total is developing
- A review or pending indicator, signalling that the score may still move
What Viewers See Live
The most visible number is usually the cumulative score after a skater leaves the ice. That total may be called a “current score” or “segment score”. It includes the elements already processed, the programme components and any deductions entered at that point. A live ranking graphic can place the skater first, second or lower before the full field has competed.
Broadcast graphics often simplify the official scoring sheet. They may emphasise the current total, personal-best comparison and projected placement rather than showing every component mark. Arena screens can offer more technical detail, especially during the “Kiss and Cry” presentation when the skater and coach watch the result appear.
For Australian audiences, time-zone planning affects how these figures are experienced. Turin is several hours behind eastern Australia, and the difference changes with daylight saving. A viewer in Sydney or Melbourne may watch a segment late at night or in the early morning, while Brisbane has no daylight-saving shift. Checking the official schedule against Australian Eastern Daylight Time is useful, particularly when a live broadcast includes practice or a delayed replay.
A quick reading routine helps when the screen changes rapidly:
- Check whether the figure is for the current segment or the overall event
- Separate TES from PCS before judging why the total rose or fell
- Look for deductions and review symbols near the element list
- Compare the skater’s total with the leader’s segment score, not just the last element
- Wait for the official result before treating a provisional ranking as final
Why Scores Can Change
A technical specialist may initially call a jump as fully rotated, then review slow-motion footage and mark it under-rotated. The final base value or GOE allowance can change after that review. An edge call may also be added or amended. These adjustments are part of the official process rather than evidence that the live system has malfunctioned.
The judges’ scores can be affected by the final technical call. If an element is downgraded, the base value changes. If the panel confirms a difficult element but identifies a visible error, negative GOE may remain. The combined impact can be several points, which is significant in a tightly contested Grand Prix Final.
The calculation also uses trimmed judging marks. In the 2019 format, the highest and lowest marks from the judging panel were removed for many elements and components, with the remaining scores averaged. This reduces the effect of an unusually generous or harsh individual mark. The published result therefore reflects a moderated panel score rather than a simple average of every number entered.
Volunteers and event staff help the audience navigate the wider experience, although they do not decide the sporting result. Practical information about that role is captured in this volunteer day guide. For visitors from Australia, this background can be as helpful as a venue map: it explains how the arena operates while the officials focus on scoring.
Reading The Result In Context
The same score can mean different things depending on the segment. A short programme rewards required elements within a compact structure, while a free skate offers more opportunities for both technical gains and costly mistakes. A skater who leads after the short programme still needs to protect that advantage through the free skate.
Junior events use the same broad logic of technical elements, execution and components, but their content rules and permitted elements differ from Senior competition. Ice dance uses its own required structures, rhythms and technical calls. Pairs scoring also reflects lifts, throws, twists and pair-specific elements. Comparing raw totals across singles, pairs and ice dance is therefore misleading.
The final result is the sum of the relevant segment scores, with the event winner determined by the total. A personal best, season best or international ranking can provide useful context, but it does not replace the official event total. At a major competition such as Torino 2019, a small technical correction or a single fall can alter the podium order.
| Displayed figure | What it represents | When it may change |
|---|---|---|
| Base value | The assigned difficulty of an element | When the technical panel changes the element, level or rotation call |
| GOE | Judges’ quality assessment converted into points | When the element identification or execution assessment is revised |
| TES | Total technical element score | As elements are processed or reviewed |
| PCS | Combined programme component score | Rarely after entry, usually through an official correction |
| Deduction | Penalty for a fall or other rule infringement | If the referee or officials correct the ruling |
| Segment score | TES plus PCS minus deductions | Until all reviews and corrections are complete |
| Overall total | Combined score across the required segments | When an earlier segment result is officially amended |
For fans in Australia, understanding the display makes a live stream more rewarding than simply watching the leaderboard. A Melbourne viewer can see whether a skater is gaining ground through clean execution, while a Sydney audience can identify whether a late ranking change came from a review rather than a new performance. Even the difference between a strong technical score and high components becomes visible.
The Torino 2019 event information, including schedules, results, disciplines and the Palavela setting, provides the useful competition context around these calculations. Use the live display as a running account, follow the technical abbreviations as they appear, and rely on the confirmed result once the officials have completed their checks.