How to Judge a Skateboarding Competition

Overall Impression: the core concept. You watch the skater. You absorb what happens. You assign one score. That's it. No difficulty table. No components added together. One holistic number representing what you saw.

This reflects how skateboarding actually works — it values innovation, style, and risk alongside difficulty. A skater landing something no one's landed before with clean execution and flow deserves the reward, even if the individual tricks aren't the hardest available.

What this means in practice:

Don't mentally add up trick scores. Watch the run. A strong run builds momentum — each trick adds to the overall arc. A fall reduces it, but one mistake doesn't erase everything else. Context matters: the same kickflip backside lipslide scores differently on a low rail versus a big handrail. Same trick, different context. A score of 85 at a local contest isn't the same as 85 at the Olympics. You're always comparing relative to the level and field. When you score, you're asking: how good was this performance overall?

In both street and park, runs are timed performances (typically 45 seconds) where the skater links multiple tricks across the course. Judge the complete performance as a single unit.

What makes a high-scoring run:

Strong opening: A confident, clean trick sets the tone and establishes authority. Progressive difficulty: Building from solid tricks to harder ones throughout the run shows control and ambition. Smooth connections: Linking tricks without awkward pushes, stops, or hesitation demonstrates flow. Full course usage: Moving across different sections shows adaptability and awareness. Clean finish: Ending strong with a memorable final trick leaves a lasting impression.

How falls affect run scores:

A fall during a run significantly impacts the score, but judges must acknowledge the quality of everything before and after. A run with one fall but otherwise exceptional content might score 60–70, while a completely clean but uninspiring run might score 65–75. Context matters — the severity of the fall, how quickly the skater recovers, and how much quality content surrounds the mistake all factor in.

Run score benchmarks (approximate):

• 90–100: Exceptional — near-perfect execution of high-difficulty tricks with style and flow. Extremely rare.
• 80–89: Excellent — high difficulty, clean execution, strong variety and style. Occasional minor imperfections.
• 70–79: Very good — solid difficulty and execution with some notable strengths. Minor mistakes acceptable.
• 60–69: Good — competent skating with some standout moments but also noticeable weaknesses or a fall.
• 50–59: Average — basic tricks performed adequately, or harder tricks with significant execution issues.
• Below 50: Below average — multiple falls, limited trick selection, or incomplete run.

Same 0–100 scale and five criteria apply to both disciplines, but the relative emphasis shifts.

Street Judging Emphasis

Technical precision is paramount. Street tricks on rails, stairs, and ledges demand exact pop height, proper lock-in position on grinds, and stable landings on flat ground. Trick selection on obstacles matters — choosing the right trick for the right obstacle demonstrates skate IQ. A smith grind on a kinked rail is more impressive than on a straight flat bar. Best trick importance is high — the best trick round in street allows for progression and strategy; judges should reward skaters who push boundaries. Line creativity in runs is valued — unique combinations of obstacles that flow naturally through the course.

Park Judging Emphasis

Flow and speed are essential. Park skating should look effortless — maintaining speed through transitions without unnecessary pushes. Amplitude (height above the coping) is a clear differentiator. Higher airs demonstrate power, control, and commitment. Transition usage matters — carving, pumping, and using the bowl's shape rather than just hitting the lip shows mastery. Aerial trick variety across different sections — 540s on one wall, a McTwist on another, combinations in the corner — demonstrates complete park skateboarding. Only the best run counts in park (3 runs, best score wins), so score each run independently as if it were the only performance.

Before competition:

Know the format. Street or park? How many runs, tricks, scoring scale (0–100 vs 0.0–10.0)? Walk the course. Understand which obstacles exist and what tricks they enable. Technical ledge combinations have different scoring implications than open transition. Attend the judges' meeting. Head judge establishes benchmarks. You align expectations with other judges. Calibrate together. Watch practice runs as a panel, discuss score ranges. This prevents the judges from being 20 points apart on the same skater.

During competition:

Score independently. Never look at other judges' scores before entering yours. That's the foundation. Use the full scale. Don't bunch everything 60–80. 90+ for exceptional. Below 50 for poor. Full range = meaningful separation. Stay consistent. Two equally impressive runs get similar scores. Consistency matters more than hitting a specific number. Falls scale proportionally. One fall in an otherwise strong run: meaningful deduction, not catastrophic. Multiple falls: larger impact. Don't chase consensus. You believe it's an 85, the average is 78? Score 85. The trimmed mean handles disagreements.

Common mistakes:

Tricks you don't recognize: Assess execution, not the name. Clean pop? Stable landing? Controlled? You don't need to know it's a "kickflip backside lipslide" to score it. Overweighting difficulty: Sloppy 900 does not beat perfectly executed 540. Execution and style matter equally. Recency bias: Don't let the last skater influence this one's score. Judge each on its own merits.