How Every Winter Olympic Sport Is Judged

Every judged winter sport sits somewhere on a spectrum between purely objective measurement and purely subjective assessment. Understanding where each discipline falls is key to understanding why controversies arise — and why different sports use such different scoring systems.

Objective scoring relies on measurable quantities that leave no room for interpretation. In ski jumping, the distance a jumper travels is recorded by sensors to the nearest half-meter and converted into points using a fixed mathematical formula. This distance component is entirely objective — two observers will always agree on the number. Subjective scoring depends on trained human judgment. When a figure skating judge assigns a Grade of Execution of +3 versus +4 for a triple Axel, they are making a professional assessment based on criteria like height, distance, and effortlessness, but reasonable judges can — and do — disagree.

Most winter Olympic judging systems blend both approaches. Ski jumping pairs objective distance measurement with subjective style marks from five judges. Moguls combines subjective turn evaluation (seven judges) with objective electronic timing (speed component). Figure skating assigns objective base values to each element but relies on subjective GOE adjustments and Program Component Scores. Only the overall-impression sports — freeskiing slopestyle/halfpipe/big air and snowboarding — use a fully subjective 0-100 scale, though even here the PAVED criteria provide structured guidelines.

The trend across all winter sports is toward greater transparency and accountability. Anonymous judging in figure skating, the drop-highest-and-lowest protocol in ski jumping and freestyle events, and the introduction of wind compensation in ski jumping all represent efforts to reduce the influence of bias and luck on final results. Digital scoring platforms like JudgeMate support this trend by recording every judge's mark, generating detailed scoring protocols, and making the entire calculation process visible and auditable.

Figure skating uses the ISU Judging System (IJS), the most complex scoring framework of any winter Olympic sport. Introduced in 2004 after the 2002 Salt Lake City judging scandal, the IJS replaced the old 6.0 system with a quantifiable, transparent method built on two pillars: the Technical Element Score (TES) and the Program Component Score (PCS).

Every element a skater performs — each jump, spin, step sequence, or lift — has a predetermined base value set by the ISU. A triple Axel is worth 8.00 points; a quad Lutz is worth 11.50. Nine judges then independently assign a Grade of Execution (GOE) from -5 to +5, which modifies the base value proportionally. A +5 GOE on a quad Lutz is worth more bonus points than a +5 on a double Lutz, rewarding difficulty alongside quality. The highest and lowest GOE marks are trimmed before averaging.

The same nine judges also score three Program Components — Composition, Presentation, and Skating Skills — each on a scale from 0.25 to 10.00. These components evaluate the artistic and holistic quality of the performance: choreographic design, musical expression, edge quality, and speed. After trimming, the component averages are multiplied by a discipline- and segment-specific factor.

The total segment score equals TES + PCS minus deductions (for falls, time violations, or illegal elements). The combined score from the Short Program (or Rhythm Dance) and Free Skate (or Free Dance) determines final placement. At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, five figure skating events will be contested: men's singles, women's singles, pairs, ice dance, and the team event.

The ISU system generates enormous data for every competition, making digital scoring platforms essential. JudgeMate supports the full IJS workflow — base value lookups, GOE calculations, trimmed-mean PCS averaging, and automatic protocol generation — ensuring accurate, transparent results.

Freestyle skiing encompasses five distinct judged disciplines at the 2026 Winter Olympics, split across three fundamentally different scoring systems.

Slopestyle, halfpipe, and big air use overall impression scoring on a 0-100 scale. Six FIS-certified judges evaluate each run independently using the PAVED criteria: Progression, Amplitude, Variety, Execution, and Difficulty. The highest and lowest scores are dropped, and the remaining four are averaged. In slopestyle, athletes navigate courses with 5-7 features (rails, boxes, jumps), and judges consider how the entire run flows together. In halfpipe, amplitude above the 22-foot walls, trick variety, and consistency across 5-7 hits are paramount. In big air, athletes perform two or three jumps, with the best two scores (which must feature different tricks or rotations) combined for the final result. A score above 90 is exceptional at the Olympic level.

Moguls uses a weighted three-component formula: turns (60%), air (20%), and speed (20%). Seven turn judges score carving quality from 0.0 to 5.0, with the highest and lowest dropped. Two air judges evaluate each of two mandatory jumps on form (0.0-5.0), and form is multiplied by a degree of difficulty factor. Electronic timing provides the speed component. The combined result rewards the complete moguls athlete.

Aerials follows an execution-times-difficulty model. Five judges score each jump for Air/Form (up to 7.0) and Landing (up to 3.0). Within each component the highest and lowest marks are dropped, and the resulting execution total is multiplied by the maneuver's Degree of Difficulty (DD) from the FIS table. DD values range from approximately 2.0 for basic maneuvers to over 5.0 for triple-somersault combinations with multiple twists. This system creates a strategic tension between attempting higher difficulty and executing cleanly enough to earn a competitive multiplied score.

For detailed breakdowns, see our individual sport guides on moguls and aerials.

Olympic snowboarding's three judged disciplines — halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air — all use an overall impression scoring system on a 0-100 scale, identical in structure to freeskiing's equivalent events. Six judges evaluate each run, the highest and lowest scores are dropped, and the remaining four are averaged.

Judges assess runs holistically through the PAVED criteria: Progression (how the run builds in difficulty and energy), Amplitude (height above the pipe lip or off jumps), Variety (mix of different tricks, rotations, and grab types), Execution (landing quality, body control, and trick completion), and Difficulty (rotation count, axis variations, and grab complexity).

In halfpipe, athletes get two or three runs, with the best score counting. Elite riders like Chloe Kim and Ayumu Hirano achieve 10-15 feet of air above the 22-foot walls while performing tricks like the historic triple cork 1440 that Hirano landed at Beijing 2022. In slopestyle, riders navigate courses with rails, boxes, and jumps, with judges evaluating feature utilization and overall flow alongside individual trick quality. In big air, athletes perform three jumps and their best two scores are combined — the two counting jumps must feature different tricks or different rotation directions.

What separates a 90+ score from the mid-80s is often the difference between landing cleanly with style and making slight adjustments on touchdown. Consistent amplitude, creative trick selection, and personal style that flows naturally through the run elevate the best performances above technically difficult but mechanical attempts.

At Milan-Cortina 2026, snowboarding will feature six judged medal events (halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air for both men and women), alongside the racing disciplines of snowboard cross and parallel giant slalom. Digital scoring platforms like JudgeMate enable instant score processing and transparent judging breakdowns that keep audiences engaged throughout competition.

Ski jumping uses one of the most mathematically precise scoring systems in all of judged sport, combining four distinct components in a single formula: Total Score = Distance Points + Style Points + Gate Factor + Wind Compensation.

Distance points are calculated relative to the hill's K-point (Konstruktionspunkt). Landing exactly at the K-point earns 60 points. Each meter beyond adds points (1.8 per meter on Large Hill with K-point 100-134 m; 2.0 per meter on Normal Hill with K-point 80-99 m), and each meter short deducts the same amount. Distance is measured by sensors to the nearest half-meter.

Style points come from five judges who independently evaluate each jump on a 0-20 scale. They assess four phases: in-run and takeoff, flight posture and V-style ski position, the telemark landing (one foot forward, one back, knees deeply bent), and the outrun. The highest and lowest marks are dropped, and the remaining three are summed for a maximum of 60 style points. Missing the telemark typically costs 3.0-5.0 points per judge — often the difference between a podium finish and mid-pack.

The gate factor compensates when the jury changes the starting gate mid-competition. A lower gate (shorter in-run, less speed) adds points; a higher gate subtracts them. Wind compensation, introduced by FIS in 2009, adjusts for the aerodynamic impact of headwinds (which create lift, so points are subtracted) and tailwinds (which reduce distance, so points are added). Together, these systems ensure that results reflect athletic ability rather than wind luck or gate position.

At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, ski jumping features six events at the historic Predazzo venue in Val di Fiemme: Normal Hill Individual (M/W), Large Hill Individual (M), Team (Large Hill), Mixed Team, and — debuting in 2026 — Women's Large Hill Individual. JudgeMate processes all four scoring components simultaneously, delivering transparent results within seconds of each jump.

The era of paper scorecards and manual calculations is rapidly ending across winter Olympic sports. Digital scoring platforms now handle the mathematical complexity of systems like the ISU Judging System or the DD-multiplied aerials formula in real time, eliminating calculation errors and delivering results within seconds of a judge's submission.

Motion-tracking cameras and video replay systems give judges the ability to review tricks frame by frame — essential in sports where triple-somersault combinations with multiple twists unfold in under three seconds. Ski jumping uses real-time wind sensors positioned along the landing hill to feed wind compensation calculations automatically. Moguls competitions integrate electronic timing systems directly into the scoring software to compute pace scores without manual entry.

For competition organizers, the shift to digital has been transformative. Platforms like JudgeMate replace spreadsheets and paper with cloud-based infrastructure where judges enter scores on tablets or smartphones, results synchronize across all devices via Firebase Realtime Database, and detailed scoring protocols are generated automatically. Live leaderboards update instantly for venue scoreboards, broadcast overlays, and online audiences. Every score entry is timestamped and archived, creating a complete audit trail that supports post-competition review and ensures accountability.

The result is a judging ecosystem that is faster, more transparent, and more trustworthy than anything that came before — whether you are organizing a local freestyle event or managing scoring for a multi-discipline championship.