Simplified FIS Judges Handbook

The FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) publishes official handbooks for judges in every competitive discipline. Each handbook — covering moguls, aerials, freeskiing slopestyle/halfpipe/big air, snowboard slopestyle/halfpipe/big air, ski cross, and snowboard cross — defines scoring criteria, panel composition, and deduction guidelines.

Available as free PDFs on the FIS website (fis-ski.com) under the Officials section and updated before each season, they are lengthy and highly technical — often exceeding 150 pages — making them inaccessible to athletes, coaches, and fans who want to understand scoring.

This guide distills the key concepts into a single, practical reference.

Each FIS discipline uses a different judge panel structure tailored to what is being evaluated. Panel size and composition directly affect score calculation.

| Discipline | Panel Composition | Score Handling | |---|---|---| | Moguls | 7 turn judges + 2 air judges + pace timer | Turns: drop high/low of 7, average 5. Air judges score each jump independently. | | Aerials | 5 judges (air/form + landing) | Drop high/low, average 3, multiply by degree of difficulty (DD). | | Freeskiing slopestyle / halfpipe / big air | 6 judges (overall impression) | Drop high/low, average remaining 4. | | Snowboard slopestyle / halfpipe / big air | 6 judges (overall impression) | Drop high/low, average remaining 4. |

A Head Judge oversees every panel — monitoring consistency, calling reviews, and managing the panel. In some disciplines, a Technical Delegate (TD) also supervises.

FIS uses three main scoring methods across its disciplines, each reflecting the unique demands of the sport.

| Method | Scale | Used In | How It Works | |---|---|---|---| | Overall Impression | 0-100 | Slopestyle, halfpipe, big air (skiing and snowboarding) | Each judge scores the entire run 0-100. High and low are dropped, remaining four averaged. | | Weighted Component Formula | Composite | Moguls | Three components scored separately: turns (60%), air (20%), speed (20%). Each has its own criteria and calculation. | | Execution x Difficulty | Composite | Aerials | Judges score air/form (0-7.0) and landing (0-3.0) for a combined execution out of 10.0, multiplied by the trick's DD coefficient. |

Overall Impression gives judges the most flexibility to reward creativity. The Weighted Component Formula balances technique with acrobatics. Execution x Difficulty rewards harder tricks while demanding clean execution.

Each discipline has specific criteria that judges evaluate. Understanding these helps athletes focus training and spectators follow the scoring.

Moguls — Turns (60% of total score)

• Carving technique: Clean, controlled edge engagement through each mogul
• Fall line: Maintaining a direct path down the course
• Absorption and fluidity: Smooth knee action, continuous rhythm at appropriate speed

Moguls — Air (20% of total score)

• Form in the air: Body position, extension, and control
• Landing quality: Clean, balanced absorption
• Degree of difficulty: Higher DD tricks score more when well-executed

Aerials

• Takeoff: Proper speed, angle, and position off the kicker
• Height and form: Appropriate amplitude, tight position, full rotations
• Landing: Balanced, absorbed, riding away cleanly
• Degree of difficulty: DD coefficient multiplies execution

Slopestyle (skiing and snowboarding)

• Difficulty and variety: Complex tricks across rotations, axes, and grabs
• Execution: Clean takeoffs, stable grabs, controlled landings
• Amplitude and style: Height, distance, personal expression, flow
• Use of course: Utilizing all features effectively

Halfpipe (skiing and snowboarding)

• Amplitude: Height above the lip of the pipe
• Difficulty and variety: Range of tricks, rotations, and directions
• Execution: Clean technique and controlled landings
• Use of the pipe: Wall-to-wall transitions, full pipe utilization

Big Air (skiing and snowboarding)

• Difficulty: Technical complexity of the trick
• Execution and style: Clean rotation, grab, and landing with confidence
• Amplitude: Height and distance off the jump

FIS maintains a structured certification pathway for judges with multiple levels:

1. National Level: Judges begin through their national ski federation (e.g., U.S. Ski & Snowboard) with theoretical coursework and practical evaluation at domestic events.

2. FIS Level: After national-level experience, judges apply for FIS certification. This requires a theoretical exam on FIS rules plus practical evaluations at FIS-sanctioned events.

3. World Cup Level: Judges demonstrating consistent high-quality performance may be promoted to World Cup panels based on ongoing evaluation.

4. Olympic Level: The highest tier. Olympic judges are selected from top-rated World Cup judges based on cumulative multi-season evaluations.

All certified judges must complete ongoing training and re-certification. FIS conducts seminars, video training, and on-site evaluations to keep judges current with rule changes.

FIS uses several mechanisms to maintain fair and consistent scoring across events:

• Head Judge Review: The Head Judge monitors all scores in real time, flags outliers, and intervenes when a judge deviates significantly from the panel.

• Video Review: At major events (World Cup, World Championships, Olympics), officials can verify scores against recorded footage.

• Judge Evaluation: FIS evaluators assess each judge at every event. Judges receive consistency ratings based on panel average alignment.

• Statistical Analysis: FIS tracks judge performance over time, flagging persistent bias patterns for review.

• Removal and Suspension: Judges showing persistent inconsistency can be removed from panels, suspended, or required to retrain.

• Post-Event Reconciliation: Scoring data is reviewed after each event, with anomalies documented for future assignments.