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Real-Time Air, Form & Landing Scoring with Degree of Difficulty Calculations for Freestyle Skiing Aerials
Elevate your aerials competitions with JudgeMate's precision-engineered platform built for the exacting demands of freestyle skiing aerials judging. From grassroots development events to nationally sanctioned championships, our real-time scoring system delivers accurate degree of difficulty calculations, transparent judging breakdowns, and instant results that athletes, coaches, and spectators rely on.
Aerials scoring combines three components: air (form during the jump), form (body position and control), and landing. Each score is multiplied by the maneuver's degree of difficulty (DD) from the FIS DD table. Five judges score air and form on a 0–10 scale, the highest and lowest scores are dropped, and the remaining three are averaged. The final score equals the averaged judge score multiplied by DD.
Individual aerials competitions follow a multi-round elimination format. In qualification, athletes may perform one or two jumps (Q1 and Q2) depending on the event level and format; when two qualification rounds are used, the better score of the two determines advancement to finals. The finals phase typically features the top 12 qualifiers performing additional jumps across two or three rounds, with scores from finals rounds (not qualification) determining medal positions. Athletes select their maneuvers strategically, balancing degree of difficulty against execution reliability. The kicker geometry varies by kicker size (single, double, or triple kicker), and the landing hill features a steep gradient of approximately 36 to 38 degrees with a carefully groomed surface to facilitate safe landings.
Mixed team aerials debuted as an Olympic event at Beijing 2022 and will return at Milan-Cortina 2026. Each team consists of three athletes, which must include both genders, with each team member performing one jump per round. Individual jump scores are summed to produce the team total, and teams are eliminated in progressive rounds. The format introduces tactical dimensions absent from individual competition, as teams must balance their strongest performers across rounds and decide whether to prioritize high-difficulty attempts or reliable execution. The mixed team event has proven highly popular with television audiences due to its head-to-head drama and the added tension of team-based strategy.
Aerials scoring is built on a precise formula that combines execution quality with trick complexity. Five judges independently evaluate each jump, assigning scores for Air and Form (quality of takeoff, aerial technique, and body position during the maneuver) and Landing (quality of the touchdown and controlled outrun). Each judge provides component scores that together range from 0.0 to 10.0, split approximately as Air/Form (up to 7.0) and Landing (up to 3.0). Trimming is applied at the component level: within each component, the highest and lowest of the five judges' marks are dropped, and the three remaining middle scores are counted. The resulting execution total is then multiplied by the maneuver's Degree of Difficulty (DD) factor to produce the final score.
Air and Form (approximately 70% of judge's score): Judges evaluate the quality of the takeoff (balanced, correct angle, appropriate speed), the execution of the aerial maneuver (proper rotation axis, tight body position during somersaults, controlled twist initiation and completion), body alignment throughout the trick (extended layout versus tucked position as appropriate), height achieved above the landing surface, and overall aesthetic quality. A score of 7.0 in Air/Form represents flawless execution with ideal body position, full extension, and controlled rotation throughout the maneuver. Common deductions include off-axis rotation, loose body position, under or over-rotation, and asymmetric twist execution.
Landing (approximately 30% of judge's score): The landing component evaluates the athlete's ability to absorb the impact cleanly and ski away in control. Judges assess the touchdown itself (both feet landing simultaneously on a balanced stance), impact absorption (bending the knees to absorb force rather than collapsing or stiffening), stability (maintaining balance without arm windmilling, hand touches, or wobbling), and the outrun (skiing away smoothly in a controlled, upright position). A perfect landing score of 3.0 represents a "stomped" landing with no visible balance adjustments. Common deductions include hand-down touches (significant deduction), sitting back on landing (moderate deduction), and falls (severe deduction typically reducing the landing score to near zero).
Degree of Difficulty (DD): Every recognized aerial maneuver is assigned a DD value based on the number of somersaults, twists, and the takeoff type. The DD system starts at approximately 2.0 for basic upright maneuvers and escalates to over 5.0 for the most complex triple-somersault combinations. Examples include: layout back somersault (DD 2.6), back full twist layout (DD 3.525), double full-full (double somersault with a full twist in each, DD 3.965), full-double full-full (triple somersault with increasing twists, DD 4.978). The DD multiplier ensures that athletes who attempt more difficult maneuvers are rewarded proportionally, but only if their execution quality is high enough to produce a competitive multiplied score. This creates a strategic tension between difficulty and execution that defines competitive aerials.
Deductions and Penalties: Beyond the natural score reduction from poor execution, specific penalties apply for serious errors. A fall on landing typically reduces the landing score to 0.0 to 0.5 and may also reduce Air/Form scores if the fall results from improper aerial technique. Under-rotation (not completing the full rotation) and over-rotation (rotating beyond the intended position) result in significant Air/Form deductions. Incorrect maneuver (performing a different trick than declared, where declaration is required) can result in a zero score. Safety violations such as failure to hold a tuck position or out-of-control skiing on the outrun may result in additional deductions at the head judge's discretion.
Modern aerials competition management requires software capable of maintaining comprehensive DD lookup tables, processing scores from five judges with automatic high/low drop, multiplying summed execution scores by the correct DD factor, and computing final results across multiple rounds with elimination cuts. JudgeMate's platform handles this entire workflow in real-time, displaying scores to spectators within seconds of each jump's completion. The system also manages competition structures including qualification rounds, finals with reduced fields, mixed team format with cumulative team scoring, and training run tracking for development events.
Freestyle skiing aerials stands as one of the most spectacular and technically demanding disciplines in all of winter sports. Athletes launch off specially constructed kicker jumps at speeds exceeding 60 kilometers per hour, soar up to 15 meters above the landing slope, execute complex combinations of somersaults and twists, and land on steep, meticulously groomed landing hills. The entire maneuver unfolds in approximately three seconds, yet those few airborne moments contain enough technical complexity to require a panel of five specialized judges and a precise mathematical scoring framework to evaluate.
Unlike freestyle disciplines judged on overall impression, aerials scoring follows a rigorous formula: five judges independently assess Air and Form (the quality of the takeoff, aerial maneuver execution, and body position) and Landing (the quality of the touchdown and outrun). Each judge's total score ranges from 0.0 to 10.0, split approximately into Air/Form (up to 7.0) and Landing (up to 3.0). Trimming is applied within each scoring component — the highest and lowest marks in each component are dropped, and the three remaining middle scores per component are used to calculate the execution total. This total is then multiplied by the maneuver's Degree of Difficulty (DD), producing a final score that balances execution quality with trick complexity.
JudgeMate's aerials competition platform handles every aspect of this scoring framework automatically, from DD lookup tables covering hundreds of recognized maneuvers to real-time score aggregation with automatic high/low drop. Whether you are running a water ramp training session, a regional development competition, or an internationally sanctioned championship, professional aerials scoring technology ensures that every athlete receives fair, transparent, and accurate evaluation.
Aerial skiing traces its roots to the broader freestyle skiing movement that emerged in the late 1950s and 1960s, when adventurous skiers began performing acrobatic maneuvers on snow for entertainment and competition. Early aerial skiing was often called "hot-dogging" and featured daring athletes performing flips and twists off natural terrain features and rudimentary jumps. The first organized freestyle skiing competitions in the early 1970s included aerial events alongside moguls and ballet skiing, though safety standards and judging criteria were rudimentary by modern standards. These pioneering competitions established the core appeal of aerial skiing: the breathtaking spectacle of human flight combined with gymnastic precision, all performed on a snow-covered mountainside.
Aerials was included as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Calgary Olympics before gaining full medal status at the 1994 Lillehammer Games, where Andreas Schoenbaechler of Switzerland and Lina Cheryazova of Uzbekistan won the inaugural gold medals. Olympic inclusion drove rapid standardization of judging criteria, jump specifications, and safety requirements under FIS governance. The kicker jump design, landing hill gradient, and knoll specifications became precisely regulated, while the scoring system evolved into the structured Air/Form plus Landing framework multiplied by Degree of Difficulty that remains the foundation of aerials judging today. The 1990s also saw dramatic improvements in training methodology, with water ramp facilities allowing athletes to practice new maneuvers with soft-water landings before attempting them on snow, accelerating trick progression while reducing injury risk.
The 2000s and 2010s brought an explosion of technical difficulty in aerials competition. Where single somersaults with twists once contended for medals, modern elite aerialists routinely perform triple somersaults with multiple twists, achieving Degree of Difficulty values that would have been unimaginable a generation ago. Athletes like Qi Guangpu (China) and Hanna Huskova (Belarus) have pushed the boundaries of human aerial performance on snow, while mixed team events added to the Olympic program at Beijing 2022 have introduced exciting new competitive dynamics. The sport has also benefited enormously from advances in technology: high-speed video analysis helps coaches refine technique, biomechanical sensors track body position during flight, and digital scoring platforms like JudgeMate enable real-time judging that delivers instant, transparent results to audiences worldwide. The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will showcase the latest evolution of aerial skiing, with athletes expected to attempt maneuvers of unprecedented complexity.
Freestyle skiing aerials is contested at the highest level across a global circuit of prestigious events, from the spectacle of the Winter Olympics to the grueling consistency demands of the FIS World Cup tour. These competitions define careers and drive the sport's breathtaking progression.
The Olympic Games represent the ultimate stage for aerial skiing. Individual aerials has been an Olympic medal event since **Lillehammer 1994**, and the **mixed team event** was added at **Beijing 2022**, giving athletes new pathways to Olympic glory. The **2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics** will feature both individual (men's and women's) and mixed team aerials events, with competition expected to take place at the Livigno freestyle venue. Olympic aerials finals consistently rank among the most-watched events of the Winter Games due to the sport's spectacular visual appeal, with athletes soaring over 15 meters in the air and performing triple somersaults with multiple twists in just seconds.
The FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup aerials circuit runs annually from **December through March**, visiting venues across North America, Europe, and Asia. The number of aerials events varies by season — recent seasons have featured around **six events**, though the calendar can expand depending on scheduling. Athletes accumulate points toward the overall Crystal Globe standings, and World Cup events serve as crucial Olympic qualification opportunities. Consistent performance across the season's diverse venues and conditions is required to contend for the overall title. The World Cup circuit visits notable aerials venues including **Lake Placid** (USA), **Deer Valley** (USA), and **Lac-Beauport (Le Relais)** (Canada), among others.
The biennial FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships crown official world champions in individual men's and women's aerials, as well as the mixed team event. World Championship titles carry enormous prestige within the aerials community and are valued only slightly below Olympic gold medals. The compressed format of World Championships, where an entire season's preparation comes down to a handful of jumps over two days, demands both peak physical preparation and exceptional mental fortitude. World Championship performance is often a reliable predictor of Olympic medal contention.
The **Lake Placid World Cup** at the historic Olympic venue in New York State holds a special place in aerials history. The venue has hosted some of the sport's most memorable competitions, and its jump and landing hill are considered among the finest in the world. Lake Placid's legacy as host of the **1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics** adds prestige to every competition held there. The event's enthusiastic spectator atmosphere and reliable January conditions make it a favorite among athletes and a highlight of the World Cup calendar.
From pioneers who defined the sport's earliest competitive standards to modern athletes pushing the boundaries of human aerial performance, these freestyle skiers represent the highest levels of athletic achievement in aerial skiing.
The Belarusian star achieved the pinnacle of aerial skiing by winning Olympic gold at PyeongChang 2018, executing a clean back double-twisting layout under enormous pressure in the final round. Huskova's Olympic victory was particularly remarkable because she was not the pre-competition favorite, demonstrating the mental fortitude and technical consistency that define great aerial competitors. Throughout her career, she accumulated numerous World Cup podium finishes and established herself as one of the most clutch performers in the sport's history, capable of delivering her best when the stakes were highest.
The Chinese aerial skiing legend finally captured Olympic gold at Beijing 2022 after a career spanning multiple Olympic cycles, in one of the most emotionally charged moments of those Games. Qi's victory at age 31, on home snow in China, represented the culmination of years of dedication as one of the sport's most technically gifted and athletically persistent competitors. He has been a dominant force on the World Cup circuit with numerous victories and Crystal Globe contention across multiple seasons. Qi's mastery of the most difficult maneuvers in the sport, including quintuple-twisting triple somersaults with DD values exceeding 5.0, has pushed the technical boundaries of what aerialists can achieve.
The American aerialist has been a trailblazer for women's aerial skiing, widely recognized as a pioneer of extreme-difficulty maneuvers in women's competition, including triple somersaults with multiple twists. Caldwell's career spans multiple Olympic cycles, and she won Olympic gold in the inaugural mixed team event at Beijing 2022 alongside teammates Justin Schoenefeld and Christopher Lillis. Her relentless pursuit of the most difficult maneuvers in women's aerials has raised the bar for the entire field, inspiring a generation of female aerialists to attempt tricks previously considered exclusive to men's competition. Caldwell's numerous World Cup victories and World Championship medals underscore her status as one of the most accomplished women's aerialists in history.
The Australian aerialist won World Championship gold and multiple Crystal Globe titles, establishing herself as one of the most technically skilled women's aerialists in the world. Peel's ability to perform maneuvers with among the highest DD values in women's competition, combined with clean execution and consistent landings, made her a perennial medal contender at every event she entered. Her longevity at the top of the sport across multiple Olympic and World Championship cycles demonstrated remarkable athletic durability. Peel withdrew from the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics due to injury, but her legacy as one of the sport's all-time greats in women's aerials is firmly established.
The defending Olympic champion continues to compete at the highest level heading into Milan-Cortina 2026. Qi's combination of extreme difficulty and refined technique remains the benchmark in men's aerials. His ability to perform the sport's most demanding maneuvers with consistency under Olympic pressure was proven emphatically at Beijing 2022, and he will enter the Milan-Cortina Games as the man to beat for gold. Qi's influence extends beyond his competitive record: his technical innovations have driven the entire men's field toward higher DD values.
The American aerialist burst into international prominence by winning Olympic gold in the mixed team event at Beijing 2022, performing a stunning quintuple-twisting triple back somersault that produced one of the highest individual jump scores of the competition. Lillis represents the cutting edge of men's aerials difficulty and is part of a strong American aerial skiing program that has produced consistent medalists. His combination of extreme difficulty attempts and the athletic talent to execute them makes him one of the most exciting competitors to watch heading into the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
The Chinese veteran captured Olympic gold at Beijing 2022 in women's individual aerials at the age of 31, delivering a flawless performance in her fourth Olympic Games. Xu's career is a testament to perseverance, having overcome serious injuries and near-miss Olympic results before finally reaching the top of the podium on home snow. She holds multiple World Cup victories and World Championship medals across a career spanning over 15 years. Xu's consistency, experience, and mastery of high-DD maneuvers keep her competitive at the highest level as the sport looks toward Milan-Cortina 2026.
Freestyle skiing aerials requires highly specialized equipment and training infrastructure unlike any other winter sport. From purpose-built jumping skis to water ramp training facilities, every element is engineered for the unique demands of launching, rotating, and landing on snow.
Aerials skis are purpose-designed for the sport's unique demands: they must be strong enough to withstand enormous takeoff and landing forces, light enough to not impede rotation in the air, and shaped to provide stability on the inrun and outrun. They are typically 160 to 175 cm in length, relatively wide for stability, and feature a stiff flex pattern that resists buckling under the extreme pressures of takeoff and landing. The ski tips are often slightly upturned and reinforced to prevent catching during outrun skiing. Unlike most ski disciplines, aerials skis have minimal sidecut radius because carving turns is not a primary function. Bindings are set to high release values to prevent pre-release during the explosive takeoff phase, while still releasing in crash scenarios to protect against injury.
Aerials boots prioritize stiffness and support above all else, as athletes must transmit enormous forces through the boot-binding system during takeoff and absorb equally massive landing impacts. Boot flex ratings are typically in the 120 to 150 range, among the stiffest in any freestyle discipline. The boot must provide rigid ankle support to prevent injury during off-balance landings while allowing enough forward flex for the athlete to maintain an athletic stance on the inrun and outrun. Alpine racing bindings with high DIN settings are standard, chosen for their reliable force transmission and tested release mechanisms.
Water ramp facilities are the cornerstone of aerials athlete development and represent one of the most distinctive training tools in all of sport. These facilities feature a jump ramp built on a hillside that launches athletes into the air, where they perform aerial maneuvers before landing safely in a large, aerated swimming pool rather than on snow. The bubbling aeration system softens the water surface to cushion landings. Water ramp training allows athletes to practice new and dangerous maneuvers hundreds of times without risk of serious injury, dramatically accelerating skill development. Most elite aerials training centers worldwide feature water ramp facilities, and athletes typically spend their summer training seasons on water ramps perfecting the tricks they will perform on snow in winter.
Given the extreme heights (up to 15 meters above the landing slope) and high speeds involved in aerials, protective equipment is critical. Helmets are mandatory at all levels and typically feature advanced impact protection systems including MIPS technology for rotational force mitigation. Back protectors are worn by virtually all competitive aerialists to guard against spinal injuries during hard landings or crashes. Padded shorts provide hip and tailbone protection during training falls, particularly on water ramps where repeated hard-water impacts can cause bruising. Custom-molded shin guards and knee braces are common among athletes seeking additional joint protection. Many athletes also wear body armor vests during training sessions when learning new maneuvers.
Freestyle skiing aerials is experiencing a period of rapid evolution, with escalating trick difficulty, advancing technology, new competition formats, and expanding global participation all shaping the sport's trajectory toward the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics and beyond.
The technical progression in aerials has been staggering. Triple somersaults were once the exclusive domain of a handful of elite men; today they are a baseline requirement for medal contention in both men's and women's competition. The current frontier in men's aerials involves quintuple-twisting triple somersaults with DD values exceeding 5.0, while women's competition has seen athletes landing quadruple-twisting triple back flips that were unimaginable a decade ago. This difficulty arms race creates ongoing challenges for the scoring system, as the DD multiplier must appropriately reward increased difficulty without making execution quality irrelevant. The trend toward higher difficulty is expected to continue at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, where new maneuver combinations may debut on the world's biggest stage.
Technology is transforming both how aerials are performed and how they are judged. Biomechanical sensors worn during training capture rotation speeds, body angles, and G-forces, providing coaches with objective data to refine technique. High-speed video analysis with frame-by-frame breakdown helps athletes identify micro-adjustments in takeoff timing and body position. Wind tunnel training has emerged as a complement to water ramp work, allowing athletes to practice body positions and twist initiations in a controlled environment. On the judging side, digital scoring platforms like JudgeMate have replaced manual score tabulation, enabling real-time score calculation with automatic DD lookup and high/low drop. Future innovations may include AI-assisted rotation tracking that provides objective measurement of twist completion and somersault axis to supplement subjective judging.
While aerials has traditionally been dominated by athletes from China, Belarus, Australia, Canada, the United States, and Switzerland, the sport is attracting increasing participation worldwide. China's dominance at Beijing 2022 (winning gold in men's individual and the mixed team event) demonstrated the results of massive national investment in freestyle skiing infrastructure, including state-of-the-art water ramp facilities. Ukraine and other Eastern European nations continue producing world-class aerialists despite limited resources, while countries in Central Asia with winter sports traditions are developing aerials programs. The mixed team event, introduced at the 2022 Olympics, has encouraged smaller nations to invest in aerials by reducing the number of athletes needed to field a competitive team. The 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics are expected to further broaden the sport's global footprint.
Purpose-Built for Individual Aerials, Mixed Team Events & Development Competitions
JudgeMate understands the unique mathematical precision required for aerials scoring, where execution scores from five judges must be processed through high/low drop, summed, and multiplied by the correct Degree of Difficulty factor in real-time. Our platform delivers end-to-end competition management from athlete registration through final results publication, designed specifically for aerials' distinctive scoring framework.
JudgeMate processes scores from five judges with automatic highest/lowest drop, sums the three middle scores, and multiplies by the correct Degree of Difficulty factor instantly after each jump. Final scores appear on venue displays and live streams within seconds, maintaining spectator engagement while providing athletes and coaches immediate feedback. The system handles the mathematical complexity of the DD multiplication automatically, eliminating the manual calculation errors that can compromise competition integrity and delay results publication.
Our platform includes a complete, configurable **Degree of Difficulty database** covering every recognized aerial maneuver from basic upright jumps through the most complex triple-somersault combinations. The database is organized by maneuver category (upright, single somersault, double somersault, triple somersault) and includes DD values for all twist variations. Organizers can update DD values as the FIS revises difficulty charts, add custom maneuvers for development events, or restrict available maneuvers for youth competitions with safety-limited trick lists.
The judge interface is optimized for aerials' split-component scoring, enabling each of the five judges to enter **Air/Form and Landing scores** on individual devices. The platform automatically combines components into the total judge score, drops the highest and lowest, sums the middle three, and applies the DD multiplier. Statistical analysis identifies scoring outliers in real-time, alerting the head judge to potential inconsistencies. The interface supports the **0.0 to 10.0 scoring range** with 0.1 increments, matching FIS standards precisely.
JudgeMate's mixed team module manages the complete team competition format, handling **team registration with athlete assignments**, individual jump scoring within team rounds, cumulative team score calculation, and progressive elimination across rounds. The system tracks each team member's individual contribution while maintaining running team totals, and automatically manages team ordering, round progression, and elimination thresholds. This module was designed to support the Olympic mixed team format introduced at Beijing 2022.
Real-time score graphics designed for television and livestream integration display individual judge scores, the high/low drop visual, the summed middle scores, the DD factor, and the multiplied final score in a clear, sequential presentation that helps audiences understand the scoring process. **Embedded live streaming** integration allows remote audiences to follow competitions with instant result updates. Athlete comparison graphics and running leaderboards enhance the viewing experience and make aerials scoring accessible to casual viewers.
Beyond competition management, JudgeMate supports **training environments** including water ramp sessions and development camps. Coaches can use the platform to track athletes' jump attempts, DD progression over time, and execution consistency across training sessions. The training module builds a comprehensive performance database that informs competition strategy, helping athletes and coaches make informed decisions about which maneuvers to attempt at which difficulty levels in competitive settings.
Transform your aerials events with comprehensive competition management and live judging technology designed specifically for the precise DD-multiplied scoring demands of individual and mixed team aerials competitions.
The future of aerials competition management is here. From water ramp development events to regional championships and nationally sanctioned competitions, JudgeMate delivers the mathematical precision, transparency, and professionalism that modern aerials competitions demand. Join the growing community of event organizers worldwide choosing JudgeMate for fair, exciting, and professionally managed aerials competitions.
