How Is Freestyle Snowboarding Actually Scored?
A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Halfpipe, Slopestyle & Big Air Judging
Last updated: February 21, 2026
Six judges independently score each run on a 0-100 scale using the PAVED criteria: Progression, Amplitude, Variety, Execution, and Difficulty. The highest and lowest scores are dropped and the remaining four are averaged. A score above 90 is exceptional; below 70 usually means a fall. Yes, you can still score well after a crash — but a clean run with moderate difficulty typically beats a crashed run with harder tricks.
The Short Answer: How Snowboarding Scoring Works
Every freestyle snowboarding competition — whether it's the Olympics, X Games, or a FIS World Cup — uses the same basic scoring system. A panel of six judges watches each run and independently gives it a single score between 0 and 100. They are not scoring individual tricks separately; instead, they evaluate the entire run as a whole.
Once all six scores are in, the highest and lowest are removed (to prevent any single judge from having too much influence), and the remaining four scores are averaged to produce the final result. This is called the trimmed mean method.
For example, if a rider receives scores of 78, 82, 84, 85, 86, and 91, the 78 and 91 are dropped, and the final score is the average of 82, 84, 85, and 86 = 84.25.
In most competitions, athletes get 2-3 runs, and only their best single score counts for the final ranking.
What Do Judges Actually Look For? The PAVED Criteria
Judges use a framework called PAVED to evaluate runs under an Overall Impression philosophy. This isn't a checklist where each letter gets its own score — instead, it's a set of five principles that guide the judge's holistic assessment. The system intentionally avoids rigid trick checklists to allow progression of the sport.
| Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| P — Progression | Is the rider pushing the sport forward? New tricks, creative combinations, or never-before-seen elements score higher. |
| A — Amplitude | How high and how far does the rider go? Bigger air means more time for complex tricks and shows superior speed control. |
| V — Variety | Does the run include different types of tricks, rotation directions (frontside, backside, switch), and grabs? Repeating the same trick type is penalized. |
| E — Execution | How cleanly are the tricks landed? Smooth takeoffs, held grabs, stable landings, and personal style all matter. |
| D — Difficulty | How technically hard are the tricks? More rotations (1080, 1260, 1440+), flips (double cork, triple cork), and switch tricks score higher. |
How Each Discipline Is Scored Differently
While all three Olympic snowboarding freestyle disciplines use the same PAVED criteria and 0-100 scale, the format differs:
Halfpipe
Riders perform 5-7 tricks on a U-shaped channel with walls over 22 feet (6.7 meters) high. Judges watch for consistent amplitude (height above the lip), variety of rotations on both walls, and clean landings back into the transition. The best halfpipe riders maintain high amplitude throughout the entire run rather than going big on the first hit and fading. A top halfpipe score typically requires at least two different 1260+ rotations with clean grabs.
Slopestyle
Riders navigate a course with rail features (top section) and large jumps (bottom section) in a single continuous run lasting 30-60 seconds. Judges evaluate the full run — a spectacular jump section cannot fully compensate for weak rail tricks. The best slopestyle runs show technical rail skills, progressive aerial tricks, and smooth transitions between features.
Big Air
Riders get 3 jumps off a single massive kicker, and their best two scores are combined for the final ranking. Crucially, the two counting jumps must include different tricks (different rotation or different axis). This prevents riders from simply repeating their best trick three times and rewards versatility.
Can You Still Score High After a Crash?
This is one of the most common questions in snowboarding judging, and the answer has nuance:
A fall typically costs 10-15 points from a judge's overall impression, depending on its severity. A hand touching the snow on landing might cost 2-5 points. A full crash where the rider falls and slides usually drops the score to the 50-65 range at best, regardless of the trick's difficulty.
The key rule: a clean run with moderate difficulty almost always beats a crashed run with higher difficulty. A rider who lands all their tricks cleanly with 1080s and double corks will generally outscore someone who attempts triple corks but crashes on one of them.
However, there are strategic exceptions:
- In big air, since only 2 of 3 jumps count, a crash on one jump doesn't matter if the other two are clean
- In slopestyle, a crash on the very last feature is less damaging than a crash on the first one, because judges have already seen most of the run
- If a rider is in last place with nothing to lose, attempting an extremely difficult trick (even with crash risk) can be a smart gamble
The sport's philosophy is clear: difficulty without execution doesn't win competitions.
Olympic Snowboarding Scoring at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, snowboarding features six freestyle events: men's and women's halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air. All use the same PAVED judging system described above.
The level of competition at the Olympics has risen dramatically. In recent Games, winning slopestyle scores have ranged from 86 to 96, and halfpipe scores regularly reach the mid-90s for the top riders. The combination of triple cork variations, switch riding, and creative grab combinations now required for a medal is far beyond what was considered cutting-edge even a decade ago.
Key athletes to watch in 2026 include Chloe Kim (halfpipe), Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (slopestyle/big air), Kokomo Murase (slopestyle), Marcus Kleveland (slopestyle/big air), and Ayumu Hirano (halfpipe). These riders are known for pushing the sport's difficulty ceiling while maintaining exceptional execution.
Common Misconceptions About Snowboarding Scoring
"Each trick gets its own score" — False. Judges score the entire run holistically on a 0-100 scale, not individual tricks.
"More rotations always means a higher score" — Not necessarily. A clean 1080 can outscore a sloppy 1440 because execution matters as much as difficulty.
"Judges penalize safe runs" — Not exactly. A technically clean run with moderate difficulty will earn a solid score (low-to-mid 80s). But to reach the 90s, athletes need to demonstrate progression and high difficulty alongside clean execution.
"Halfpipe and slopestyle scoring are different" — They use exactly the same PAVED criteria and 0-100 scale. The only difference is the format (halfpipe = back-and-forth tricks on walls vs. slopestyle = rails + jumps down a course).
"X Games and Olympics use different scoring" — Both follow the same Overall Impression philosophy with PAVED criteria and a 0-100 scale under FIS rules. While individual judging panels may develop their own culture, the framework and scoring mechanics are consistent across all major competitions.
Worked Example: Scoring a Slopestyle Run
Let's walk through how judges might score a hypothetical slopestyle run:
The Run:
- Rail 1: Switch-on 270 pretzel to regular (creative rail entry)
- Rail 2: 50-50 to frontside boardslide (solid but standard)
- Jump 1: Backside double cork 1260 mute grab (high difficulty, clean landing)
- Jump 2: Frontside triple cork 1440 safety grab (very high difficulty, slight hand drag on landing)
- Jump 3: Cab double cork 1260 japan grab (switch takeoff, clean execution)
What the judges assess:
- Progression: Triple cork 1440 shows progressive riding — top marks
- Amplitude: Consistent big air across all three jumps — strong
- Variety: Multiple rotation directions (backside, frontside, cab), different grabs (mute, safety, japan), both switch and regular — excellent
- Execution: Clean on 4 of 5 features, but slight hand drag on Jump 2 — minor deduction
- Difficulty: Double and triple corks with high rotation counts — very high
Likely score range: 88-93
The hand drag on the triple cork keeps it from the 95+ range, but the overall difficulty, variety, and progression make this a podium-contending run. If the same rider cleaned up that landing, the score would likely jump to 93-97.
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