Have you ever been watching Olympic figure skating and thought, “Hmm, that doesn’t make any sense” when a skater’s score was announced? You have company. Judging in the sport of figure skating is done according to a scoring system that can be difficult to understand.
A perfect score of 6.0 was awarded in figure skating until the 2004 season. Yet, it was a little too simple for bias and subjectivity to emerge within this framework. It was possible for judges to vote for their own preferences or those from their native nation.
It’s absurd to believe that a single song could capture a skater’s entire repertoire of leaps, spins, footwork, and elegance. To remedy this, the IJS (International Judging System) was created. All of the Olympic skating competitions in 2022 will be scored using this system.
The IJS is meant to make scoring more objective, but at the expense of a significant increase in mathematical complexity. This article will cover
The Technical Numbers in Figure Skating
Each jump, spin, footwork sequence, throw, lift, etc. that a skater does has its own base value. Skaters can get or lose points depending on how successfully they complete the task.
The system ranges from -5 to +5, with values being either added to or subtracted from the initial base value. In total, this is what constitutes the TES, or score on the technical element.
Highest Possible Score in Figure Skating
Each evaluator assigns a Total Elements Score (TES) and a Software Component Score (PCS). To determine who has the greatest score, we add these two scores together to get the Total Segment Score (TSS).
After noting both the TES and the PCS, you may calculate the TSS. The TSS will be adjusted downwards if any penalties are incurred.
A perfect score of 6.0 was awarded in figure skating until the 2004 season. As of right now, all skating competitions are judged using the International Judging System. The IJS employs more math in an effort to standardize the grading process and produce more accurate results.
Can a Skater Receive a Perfect Score?
A perfect score doesn’t exist. One’s score improves in proportion to the level of difficulty of the elements they accomplish and the number and variety of jump combos they pull off successfully.
What is the Highest Score a Skater has Ever Received?
Russian skater Alena Kostornaia received 85.45 points for her short program in 2019, while Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan received 111.82 points for his program in 2020. On Thursday, Nathan Chen skated in the team men’s short program event at the 2022 Winter Olympics and earned the second-highest short program score in history (111.71).
In addition to his overall record, Chen also has the highest free skate score (224.92) and the highest total score (335.30).
Boyang Jin Records Highest-Scoring Element in Figure Skating History at Audi Cup
On Friday at the Audi Cup, Chinese figure skater Boyang Jin displayed his enormous potential by performing the highest-scoring element in skating history. The record-breaking feat was validated by Ice Network, who noted that the 18-year-old rising star mixed a quad lutz with a triple toe loop during his first series of jumps.
The previous record was 19.00 elements, held by Belgian Kevin van der Perren, but this one scored 19.19. Although Boyang put on a show for the ages, Eurosport noted that it wasn’t quite enough to win him the tournament.
The Spanish player Javier Fernandez won with a score of 93.19. With 90.05 points, the Chinese superstar placed second. Even though his performance might use some work, he is one of the sport’s most exciting up-and-coming stars because of his impressive skill.
Boyang showed this with his success on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, where he won multiple gold medals and the overall title in 2013–14. As a national star, he has won the Chinese Figure Skating Championships the previous two years in a row.
The fact that he can already pull off such complex routines at such a young age bodes well for his future Olympic prospects.
Conclusion
On Friday at the Audi Cup, Chinese figure skater Boyang Jin displayed his enormous potential by performing the highest-scoring element in skating history. The record-breaking feat was validated by Ice Network, who noted that the 18-year-old rising star mixed a quad lutz with a triple toe loop during his first series of jumps.
The previous record was 19.00 elements, held by Belgian Kevin van der Perren, but this one scored 19.19. According to Eurosport, Boyang’s highlight reel performance wasn’t good enough to win him the tournament.
The Spanish player Javier Fernandez won with a score of 93.19. With 90.05 points, the Chinese superstar placed second. Hope now you know highest possible score in figure skating.
