How to read a figure skating protocol sheet
A figure skating protocol sheet is the official scoring record for a performance. It converts jumps, spins, steps, skating quality, and errors into a detailed result that can be checked long after the music ends. For spectators, it can seem dense at first because a single line may contain an element name, a level, a base value, five or more execution marks, and a final score.
The Torino 2019 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final provides a useful setting for learning this system. At the Palavela arena, Senior and Junior athletes competed in men’s, ladies’, pairs, and ice dance events. Each discipline produced protocols that recorded the technical elements and program components used to determine the standings.
Reading these documents makes results more meaningful. Instead of seeing only a total score or a medal position, you can identify where a skater gained points, which element caused a deduction, how judges assessed performance quality, and why two apparently similar programs received different marks.
Find the basic competition information
The top of a protocol usually identifies the event, discipline, segment, date, and skater or team. A ladies’ short program, a men’s free skating segment, and an ice dance rhythm dance have different requirements, so this information matters before you examine the numbers. The protocol may also state the segment rank and the total score for that part of the competition.
Figure skating results are divided into segments. Singles and pairs use a short program followed by free skating. Ice dance uses a rhythm dance and free dance. Junior events follow their own requirements and technical limitations, which means a Junior protocol should not be compared directly with a Senior protocol without checking the rules.
The final placement is based on the combined segment scores, rather than the free skating result alone. A skater who leads the free program may still finish behind an opponent if the earlier short program created a large deficit. Protocol sheets therefore help explain both the result of an individual performance and the final competition ranking.
Separate technical elements from program components
The technical element section lists what the athlete performed. In singles, this includes jumps, spins, and step sequences. Pairs and ice dance include additional elements such as lifts, throws, twists, death spirals, and synchronized movements. The order reflects the program content and allows viewers to follow the performance from beginning to end.
Every element has a base value established by the ISU Scale of Values. A triple Lutz, a combination jump, or a level-four spin begins with a technical value before judges assess how well it was executed. The base value is not the final mark: positive execution can increase it, while mistakes or poor quality can reduce it.
The program component section evaluates the performance as a whole. In the scoring system used around Torino 2019, the five components were skating skills, transitions, performance, composition, and interpretation of the music. These marks reward qualities that cannot be captured by counting completed rotations. A technically difficult program can still receive modest component scores if it lacks flow, musical connection, structure, or convincing presentation.
Decode the element abbreviations
Protocol shorthand becomes easier once the most common symbols are familiar. A jump may be identified by letters such as T for toe loop, S for Salchow, Lo for loop, F for flip, Lz for Lutz, and A for Axel. A number before the abbreviation indicates rotations: 3Lz is a triple Lutz, while 2A is a double Axel.
A combination joins two or more jumps, often shown with a plus sign. A sequence may be written with a connecting mark or a series of jump abbreviations, depending on the document format. A jump identified as “+REP” includes a repeated jump, while “+COMBO” or an equivalent notation indicates that the jumps were connected as a combination.
Spins and step sequences use level markings. A notation such as StSq4 means a level-four step sequence, while features such as flying entry, change of foot, or difficult positions may appear in abbreviated form. In pairs and ice dance, abbreviations can identify lift types, rotational lifts, twizzles, and other discipline-specific elements.
The element name can also reveal a technical concern. An “e” beside a flip or Lutz signals an incorrect takeoff edge. A less-than sign generally indicates an under-rotated jump, and a double less-than sign indicates a more serious rotation shortfall. The exact notation and its effect can vary by season and rule update, so the protocol’s event year is important.
Understand base value and GOE
The base value is the starting point assigned to an element. A higher level raises the base value of many spins, steps, and lifts because it reflects greater technical difficulty. Jumps are valued according to their type and number of rotations. A clean triple jump and a flawed triple jump may have the same listed base value, but their final scores can differ considerably.
GOE means Grade of Execution. Judges award a mark that reflects the quality of the element, using a scale that ranged from -5 to +5 during the Torino 2019 season. Positive GOE can reward height, distance, speed, flow, controlled landings, strong positions, musical timing, and difficult entries. Negative GOE can reflect falls, weak landings, poor air position, pauses, or other technical and aesthetic problems.
The protocol generally shows a row of individual judges’ GOE marks, followed by a calculated value. The highest and lowest marks may be removed before the remaining marks are averaged. That average is converted into points through the Scale of Values. The resulting GOE is added to or subtracted from the base value to create the element score.
A fall is different from ordinary negative GOE. The element may receive reduced execution marks, and a separate fall deduction may also be applied to the segment total. This is why the visible score for a difficult jump and the overall deduction line should be examined together.
| Protocol item | What it represents | How it affects the score |
|---|---|---|
| Base value | Difficulty assigned to the element | Starting technical value |
| Level | Difficulty achieved in a spin, step, lift, or similar element | Raises or lowers the base value |
| GOE | Judges’ assessment of execution quality | Adds to or subtracts from base value |
| Element score | Base value adjusted by GOE | Contributes to technical element score |
| Component mark | Quality of skating and presentation | Contributes to program component score |
| Deduction | Falls, time violations, or other penalties | Subtracted from the segment total |
Read levels, rotations, and technical calls
A level is awarded when an element meets listed difficulty features. In a spin, these may include difficult variations, changes of foot, changes of position, or difficult entries. In a step sequence, the level reflects features such as turns, edge use, and body movement. Level four is generally the highest level available for many elements, but a difficult-looking element does not automatically receive that level.
The technical panel determines whether a jump was fully rotated and whether the correct edge was used. A jump that appears complete in real time may receive an under-rotation call on review. This can lower its value or affect its execution mark. Slow-motion replays and high-definition video are especially important for calls that concern the point of landing.
A protocol can therefore distinguish between the element a skater attempted and the element value ultimately credited. A planned triple may be recorded with a rotation symbol, while an edge warning may appear beside a Lutz or flip. If the athlete falls but completes the required rotations, the base value may remain intact while GOE and a separate deduction reduce the result.
In pairs and ice dance, technical calls also apply to synchronization and required features. A lift may receive a lower level than intended, and a twizzle sequence may lose value if the partners do not remain synchronized. The same principle applies across disciplines: the protocol records the element that was recognized under the rules, not simply the element listed in the planned program.
Calculate the technical and component totals
The technical element score, often abbreviated TES, is the sum of the credited element scores. To understand it, add the base values and then account for levels, technical calls, and GOE. A high TES usually reflects a combination of difficulty and clean execution, while a lower TES may result from missed elements, under-rotations, invalid elements, or negative execution marks.
The program component score, commonly shown as PCS, is calculated differently. Judges award marks for each component, and the marks are averaged before being multiplied by a discipline- and segment-specific factor. This coefficient ensures that the technical and presentation portions have the intended balance. The exact weighting can differ between the short program, free skating, and ice dance segments.
The segment total is generally calculated as TES plus PCS minus deductions. Deductions may include falls, exceeding the time limit, costume or equipment problems, interruptions, or other rule violations. The protocol may list these penalties in a separate “DED” column or in a summary area near the total.
A useful reading habit is to compare the segment total with the technical and component subtotals. If two skaters have similar PCS but different totals, the technical elements explain the gap. If their TES is close but one receives a much higher total, component marks or deductions may be the deciding factor.
Compare performances across disciplines
Protocols are most useful when comparisons respect the structure of each event. A men’s free skating protocol can include eight or more jump passes, multiple spins, and a step sequence. A ladies’ short program has a tighter set of required elements. Pairs protocols include lifts and throws, while ice dance places major emphasis on prescribed dance elements, twizzles, lifts, and skating quality.
The same numerical score does not always mean the same kind of performance. A skater may build a high technical score through difficult quadruple jumps, while another gains ground through exceptional GOE and PCS. In ice dance, edge quality, timing, unison, and interpretation carry particular importance. In pairs, the quality of partnership and the security of overhead elements are central to the judging picture.
Junior protocols deserve special care. Junior skaters compete under age-specific requirements, and some elements permitted in Senior competition may be restricted or evaluated differently. The judging scale and protocol layout may look familiar, but the content and technical ceiling are not identical.
For Torino 2019 results, begin by comparing athletes within the same discipline and segment. Then examine the combined standings. This approach avoids confusing a short-program score with a free-skating score or treating a Junior result as a direct equivalent of a Senior result.
Use protocols to follow a competition closely
A protocol becomes particularly informative when read alongside the schedule and replay of the event. Note the element order as the program unfolds, then check how the technical panel recorded it. A clean landing with strong flow may correspond to positive GOE, while a stumble may be visible through negative marks even when the base value remains high.
The document can also reveal strategic choices. A skater may attempt a difficult combination early, place a jump in the second half for a rule-based value increase, or repeat a jump type within the limits of the regulations. In a free program, the arrangement of elements shows how the athlete balances risk, stamina, and scoring potential.
Use these habits when examining an official protocol:
- Identify the segment and discipline before interpreting any mark.
- Read each element abbreviation, level, base value, and GOE together.
- Look for rotation, edge, fall, and invalid-element symbols.
- Compare TES, PCS, deductions, and the final segment total.
- Check the combined result before judging the overall competition outcome.
At an event such as the Grand Prix Final, the protocol is also a lasting record of the arena experience. It connects the live performance at Palavela with the official result, allowing spectators to revisit the technical details behind every ranking. The sheet may appear compact, but it preserves the decisions that shaped the competition.
Whether you are reviewing the Senior events, exploring Junior scoring, or learning how pairs and ice dance differ from singles, start with one performance and trace it line by line. Follow the element names, verify the awarded levels, and then move to GOE, components, and deductions. Visit the Torino 2019 event resources to explore the competitors, results, schedules, and figure-skating atmosphere surrounding the Final.