What's the difference between TES and PCS?

TES (Technical Element Score) grades the difficulty and execution of technical elements. PCS (Program Components Score) grades overall artistic quality: composition, presentation, skating skills.

GOE (Grade of Execution) is the execution quality mark given by each judge per element on a -5 to +5 scale. It adjusts the element's base value.

Why is a quadruple jump worth so much?

A quad has a very high base value (9.50 to 12.50 depending on type) because it represents maximum technical difficulty. A single clean quad can outscore several triples.

How is the second half of the program valued?

Elements executed in the second half of the free skate get a 10% bonus on base value. The bonus applies only to a limited number of elements depending on discipline and program.

How are falls handled?

Each fall costs 1.0 point off the total score. At senior level the scale gets steeper: two falls = 2 points, three falls = 4 points.

Understanding a figure skating score: TES, PCS, GOE

A figure skating score adds two blocks: the technical score (TES) which rewards executed elements, and the artistic score (PCS) which evaluates the overall program quality. Here is how each component is calculated.

Total score: TES + PCS - Deductions

The total program score (short or free) is the sum of the TES and PCS, minus any deductions. The final competition score is the sum of the short program and the free skate scores.

Example: a free skate with TES = 65.30, PCS = 58.45, deductions = 1.00 gives a total of 122.75 points.

TES: Technical Element Score

The TES rates execution quality of technical elements (jumps, spins, step sequences, lifts, twizzles depending on discipline). Each element has a fixed base value set by the ISU, and receives a GOE that can increase or decrease this value.

Base value

Every jump, spin, or sequence has a base value published by the ISU each season. The more difficult the element, the higher the base value. A double Axel is worth 3.30 base, a triple Axel 8.00, a quadruple Lutz 11.50.

For spins and step sequences the base value depends on the level (Base, 1, 2, 3 or 4) assigned by the technical panel based on difficulty features.

GOE: Grade of Execution

GOE is a quality grade given by each judge from -5 to +5. Judges' marks are averaged (trimmed mean) and applied to base value via per-element scales.

A jump with good air position, height and clean landing gets positive GOE. A fall or a two-foot landing receives negative GOE.

Second-half bonus

Some elements (typically late jumps) get a 10% bonus when performed in the second half of the program. This rewards stamina and program strategy.

PCS: Program Components Score

PCS evaluates overall program quality independently of technical elements. Since the 2022-2023 season components were reduced to three:

Composition: structure, originality, ice coverage, transitions
Presentation: musical interpretation, projection, skating quality
Skating Skills: edges, glide, speed, balance

Scale and factor

Each component is marked from 0.25 to 10.00 by each judge in 0.25 steps. The median mark is multiplied by a factor depending on discipline and program (short or free) to balance PCS weight against TES.

Deductions

Points are removed for:

Fall (-1.0 per fall, increases for repeated falls at senior level)
Time violation (-1.0 per 5 seconds over the limit)
Costume issues, accessory loss, interruption (-1.0 to -2.0)
Music violations (e.g. lyrics before 2014-2015 season)

Reading a score protocol on Pulse Skating

On a Pulse Skating result card you see for each program: TES, PCS, total, element-by-element detail with individual GOEs, and per-judge component marks. Click a competition category to access this detail.