How Competitive Figure Skating Works

Scott Hamilton. Michelle Kwan. Sasha Cohen. Evgeni Plushenko. All of these names elicit images of grace, beauty and explosive strength in the minds of people who dream of filling their skates. For most figure skaters, reaching superstardom is a long shot — it takes an immense amount of dedication and time to get there. Fortunately, there are many levels of competition for figure skaters of all ages, including juvenile, intermediate, novice, junior and senior. U.S. Figure Skating enforces only two age requirements for testing purposes: Skaters testing for a junior level must be younger than 14 years old, and those testing for intermediate status must be younger than 18 [source: USFA].

At each level there are different classes of tests that all competitive skaters must pass to participate in qualifying competitions. The intensity and required proficiency increases with every testing level. U.S. Figure Skating (which abides by the stipulations set forth by the International Skating Union) classifies these tests as follows:

To compete at the top level, skaters must qualify first at regional events, then the sectional championships. If a skater qualifies at sectionals, he or she receives an invitation to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, a huge honor considering that only the top four competitors at each of the three sectional events are invited.

There are five major types of competitive figure skating: men's singles, ladies' singles, pairs, ice dancing and synchronized team skating. Components for each of these competition types may not be exactly the same at international competitions, such as the Olympic Games, but they're very similar.

In individual skating, competitors must perform both a short and long program. The short program requires skaters to showcase seven technical elements with connecting steps (a combination of jumps, footwork and spins) in less than 2:50. The long program, or free skate, allows skaters to showcase more artistic ability and is worth two-thirds of the skater's score. Men are given 4:30 +- 10 seconds, and women have 4:00 minutes +- 10 seconds to perform the long program, which has few (if any) technical requirements.

Pairs skating requires many of the same technical elements as individual skating, but also specifies that each pair perform lifts and throw jumps. Pairs must also prove their mettle by skating in sync with each other.

In synchronized/precision skating, teams of 16 to 24 members compete. Complex formations, single jumps and synchronized footwork are all required elements of a good program. Teams perform both a short and long/free skate program. Judges pay particular attention to synchronicity, formations, spacing, footwork and arm motions.

Ice dancing is an offshoot of ballroom dancing and requires strong attention to timing and rhythm. Ice dance partners are prohibited from doing lifts any higher than the male partner's shoulders, and jumps aren't allowed. Ice dancing competitions require pairs to perform two compulsories, dances chosen by the International Skating Union (ISU), such as the tango or waltz. Skaters perform an original dance, which they choreograph and choose the music for, as well as a free dance (similar to a free skate).

Next, we'll take a closer look at the technical elements of the skaters' programs.

There are dozens of different moves that competitive figure skaters can showcase during programs. Here's a sampling of some of the most popular and common moves, jumps, throws and spins:

On the next page, we'll take a glimpse inside the skater's arsenal of equipment.

It's certainly possible to be a competitive figure skater at any age, although most of the skaters competing in international competitions are relatively young, from their mid-teens to mid-twenties. Many — although not all — of the skaters who go on to compete at this level begin lessons as children, even as toddlers.

U.S. Figure Skating offers a Basic Skills Program through which novice skaters of any age can learn the fundamentals in more than 800 registered rinks across the country. In fact, many countries' figure skating governing organizations offer similar programs. Most of these programs introduce the sport as both fun and easy, although it does require a lot of determination and practice. In the early days when many skaters fall down as often as they skate, the program also demands resiliency.

Proper clothing and skates are key to successful figure skating. While skates don't necessarily have to be brand-new, they shouldn't be broken in to the point where they provide little or no support. They should fit the foot snugly and lace up correctly. U.S. Figure Skating recommends that skaters purchase new or used skates from a reputable pro shop to ensure a perfect fit. Experts also encourage skaters to wear layered clothing during practice sessions, as rinks are air-conditioned to between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 15.5 degrees Celsius). Form-fitting but not overly tight pants are recommended as well, although tights often provide the best fit inside the skate.

It's not a bad idea for novice skaters to wear mittens or gloves: Frequent falls bring them in close contact with ice on a regular basis. Beginning skaters and children under the age of 6 are advised to wear helmets to prevent head injury. Once skaters reach higher levels of competition, their clothing becomes much more elaborate and expensive. Custom costumes for high-level skaters can cost thousands of dollars.

Ice skating is an aerobic activity and is a great way to stay in shape and burn off unwanted calories. According to U.S. Figure Skating, competitive skaters can burn between 450 and 1,080 calories per hour, whereas recreational skaters burn between 250 and 810. Competitive figure skaters are encouraged to practice safe nutritional habits by eating a well-balanced diet and making sure to ingest enough water, protein, fats, fiber, carbohydrates, calcium, Vitamin D and iron. Experts also recommend that skaters eat five or six small meals spread out over the course of the day rather than three large ones. This helps even out blood glucose levels and stimulates their metabolism.

U.S. Figure Skating, along with many other national figure skating associations, is folded under the huge umbrella that is the International Skating Union (ISU). The ISU was formed in the 1890s to serve as the governing body that sets the performance requirements and rules for figure skating, speed skating and ice dancing competitions. Once figure skating had become internationally established and accredited, the sport was included in the Summer Olympic Games in 1908 and 1920, and it was switched to the Winter Olympics lineup in 1924. Ice dancing joined the Olympic lineup in 1976. Today, the ISU rules govern all of the competitions that lead down the golden road to the World Championships and the Olympics, which are considered widely the two most prestigious figure skating competitions in the world.

As we've learned, competitive figure skaters have a laundry list of requirements they must meet during the various programs. In the United States, this judging system is followed at all regional and sectional events, including the U.S. Championships, the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships and the U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships. This system is also followed in other skating competitions governed by the ISU, including the Olympics and World Championships.

In previous years, the ISU Judging System relied on the 6.0 points system, in which the judges submitted scores and the skater or pair of skaters ranking closest to 6.0 at the end of the competition won. According to the ISU, today's judging system focuses entirely on "evaluating the quality of each element performed (Technical Score) and the quality of the performance (Presentation Score). It's considered to be a fairer and more balanced scoring system. Under the old system, skaters dreaded being chosen to go first because they believed that judges consciously or subconsciously gave lower scores until the end of the competition, when they were able to compare more of the athletes.

Judges are now responsible only for evaluating the quality of each individual performance, thanks to the work of the technical panel. While nine judges oversee ISU sanctioned events, the technical panel is made up of three officials: the Technical Controller, the Technical Specialist and the Assistant Technical Specialist. Their purpose is to identify the different technical elements performed by each skater as they are completed. The Technical Specialist takes the lead on this task and is backed up by the Assistant Technical Specialist and the Technical Controller to ensure that any mistakes are caught and corrected quickly. Skaters and judges may also call for a review of the Technical Panel's work if they think a maneuver was missed or categorized incorrectly (such as a double axel being mistakenly classified as a single, which merits a lower difficulty rating).

To further cement the integrity of the technical assessment process, a video replay operator is employed to record the programs so that they can be reviewed if needed. A data operator also records all of the maneuvers and their difficulty levels. In case of disagreement, the majority among the three officials rules.

Having been relieved of this burden, the judges can concentrate on the quality of the maneuvers performed. In the next section, we'll examine the scores the judges assign to skaters.

With all of the technical responsibilities of scoring moved to an appointed panel, the judges are free to focus on the athletic and artistic merit of the performances, as well as the other program components. Scored on a scale of .25 to 10, these components are:

The technical score (also called the element score) is a substantial portion of the overall score. Each maneuver is assigned a level of difficulty, or base value prior to competition. During the performance, the judges give a grade of execution in the range of +3 to -3 to each move performed. Then, the base value and the grade of execution are combined to determine the total element score.

A skater's final score is reached by adding his or her technical score and the presentation score. Their scores for short program and free skate scores are tallied together to form a final overall score.

Skaters wait for scores to be announced in an area known as the "kiss and cry zone." The purpose of this area is for skaters to do pretty much that — kiss and cry with their parents, managers, coaches and other supporters while they wait for the judges to render an overall score. At the end of each competition, every skater is given a breakdown of his or her scores and how he or she was evaluated.

Competitive figure skating is bound by the iron-clad International Skating Union rules, and there's seemingly little room for error. But figure skating scandals are some of the most salacious in the wide world of sports. We'll take a look at a few of them on the next page.

As with any competitive sport, a thick rule book governs the way competitive figure skaters can behave and dress. But costume rules weren't clearly defined before the 1988 Olympics, when Katarina Witt donned a costume cut scandalously high on the leg. A guideline dubbed the "Katarina Rule" says that skaters can't show bare midriffs and that their hips and buttocks have to be completely covered. Men are prohibited from wearing sleeveless shirts, tights or competing bare-chested. In addition, overly theatrical costumes are frowned upon. Skaters may not wear costumes with "excessive" amounts of sequins, beadwork, feathers or other decorations. Violations of this rule can cause a deduction of one-tenth to two-tenths of a point.

Another skater who inadvertently inspired a rule was Tara Lipinski. In 1998, the then 15-year-old dynamo took home an Olympic gold medal, making her the youngest woman at the time to win one. The International Skating Union (ISU) imposed an age limit on competitors that's now in effect: Male and female skaters must have reached their 15th birthday prior to July 1 of the previous year. The idea behind this rule is to keep young women from attempting overly difficult jumps at such a young age, hopefully sparing them from excessive long-term damage to their bodies.

However, young female skaters are still intent on wowing audiences with difficult moves, and in 2014 in Sochi, Yulia Lipnitskaya was six days younger than Lipinski when she won Olympic gold with the Russian team in the team event, making her the youngest Olympic gold medalist in ladies figure skating. Though in August 2017, she retired at the young age of 19 after being treated for anorexia.

The ISU has strict rules that govern substance abuse. The anti-doping policy requires that athletes undergo both urine and blood testing year-round to prevent and catch drug abusers. You can read even more about the rules on the ISU's Web site.

One of the most notorious events to rock the sport was the infamous and brutal knee-clubbing incident of 1994. Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding were widely considered to be two of the world's best figure skaters at the time. In an attempt to secure Harding's spot at the top, her then-husband and his associates clubbed Kerrigan's knee during a practice session. Although Kerrigan was unable to compete in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, she still received a bid to the Olympics, where she took the silver medal. Harding placed eighth. Although she was never considered directly responsible for the brutal attack, Harding later accepted a lesser charge and pleaded guilty, which resulted in her lifetime ban from the sport. The events all play out in the film "I, Tonya."

In 2002 another scandal rocked the figure skating community during the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. During the pairs skating event, the Russian pairs team Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze narrowly beat the Canadian pair Jamie Sale and David Pelletier. Such controversy erupted over the perceived error that an investigation eventually revealed that the French figure skating judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne had been pressured into a vote-swapping deal with the Russians to vote in favor of the Russian pair. Eventually, Olympics and skating officials decided to reward both teams with the gold medal.

And more recently in 2014, despite out-skating Ashley Wagner (by a lot) at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston, Mirai Nagasu didn't make the U.S. Olympic team. The three spots went to Gracie Gold, Polina Edmunds and Wagner, who placed fourth in the U.S. Championships after falling twice during her free skate. Wagner's performance in Sochi wasn't without controversy either. Wagner skated two clean programs, but ended up behind Russian Julia Lipnitskaia, who fell in both of her programs; Japan's Mao Asada, who skated a disastrous short program; and fourth-place finisher Gracie Gold, her American teammate who also took a tumble on the ice. Wagner finished in seventh place overall.

Clearly, competitive figure skating provides the world with all of the factors necessary for good athleticism and entertainment. Drama, beauty and intrigue abound among these often pint-sized athletes, compelling millions of people around the world to watch the sport on television and anticipate the competitions.