How Pairs Skating Is Scored

Pairs skating is broken into two parts: A short program that counts for one-third of the team’s total and a free skate that counts for the rest.

Nine judges score a competition based on technical merit and presentation. A perfect score is 6.0.

Short Program:

The pairs short program consists of eight required elements that include overhead lifts, side-by-side solo jumps and solo spins done in unison, pair spins, footwork, and a death spiral performed to music of the skaters’ choice. In the short program, technical merit serves as the tiebreaker.

After the short program Saturday, the Russian pair of Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze had a slight lead over Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada, with seven judges ranking the Russians first and two ranking the Canadians on top.

Free Skate:

The free skating program consists of technical and artistic moves choreographed to the skaters’ individual strengths, skills and ability to perform as a team.

A well-balanced pair free skating program must contain:

* Three or four different lifts (one of which must be a twist lift) with full extension of the lift arm;

* One or two throws;

* One or two solo jumps;

* One jump sequence;

* One pair spin combination;

* One solo spin;

* One or two different death spirals;

* At least one step sequence;

* At least one sequence of movements that must include turns, spirals and flowing moves while fully utilizing the ice surface.

In the long program, presentation serves as the tiebreaker.

In Monday’s free skate, two of the judges gave the teams equal total scores, but both judges said the Russians had higher presentation points, giving them the edge.