Ladies, Men, Pairs and Synchronized
In the ladies, men and pairs events, the five program components used are factored equally, then added together. The factored sum of the program component marks is called the Program Components Score. The idea behind factoring is to make the Program Components Score level with the Technical Score, hence granting equal importance to each. Since the perfect Program Components Score is always 50, this number is factored to roughly equal what each discipline is capable of scoring in the Technical Score. For example, in the ladies short program, women today are capable of scoring around 40 in the Technical Score. So the program components are factored by 0.8, lowering the 50 down to a 40, leveling the importance of the Technical Score and the Program Components Score. In the men's free skate, men today are capable of scoring around 100 in the Technical Score. So the program components are factored by 2.0, raising the 50 up to 100, and again leveling the Technical Score and the Program Component Score.
The following chart illustrates how each discipline factors program components in the junior and senior divisions:
Discipline Short Program Free Skate
Ladies 0.8 1.6
Men 1.0 2.0
Pairs 0.8 1.6
Synchronized 0.8 1.6
Ice Dancing
In ice dancing, the program components are factored separately, and then added together. In pattern dance four program components are used, while five are used in short dance and free dance. The idea behind the factoring is to place more emphasis on the components that are most important to each dance. For example, interpretation/timing is factored the highest in the short dance because interpretation of the rhythm is considered the most important piece to a short dance. While in the free dance, transitions are factored the highest because how skaters connect everything together is considered the most important. Like the other disciplines, the factors are also chosen to level the Technical Score with the Program Components Score, giving roughly equal importance to each. The following chart illustrates how each program component is weighted in each dance in the junior and senior divisions:
Program Component Short Dance Free Dance
Skating Skills 0.80 1.25
Transitions 0.70 1.75
Performance/Execution 0.70 1.00
Choreography/Composition 0.80 1.00
Interpretation 1.00 1.00
