GOE Marking for 2015-2016 Negative GOEs- Breaking Down the Updates for the IJS

There are a whole lot of ways for skaters to receive a reduced GOE.

In Singles

For Jumps:

Skaters will receive a GOE of -3 for:
1. In the short program a jump has one or more revolutions less than required (mandatory -3 overall)
2. In the short program a combo has only one jump (mandatory -3 overall )
3. In the short program the mandatory steps preceding the jump on its own are not completed (mandatory - overall)
4. A skater falls (mandatory - overall)
5. When a skater lands on two feet (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 or -3 for:
1. Skaters step out of a jump (mandatory - overall)
2. Severe wrong edge on flip or lutz (e) (mandatory - overall )
3. Skaters receive a downgrade on a jump (<<) (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 for:
1. Skaters touch down with both hands (mandatory - overall)
2. Skaters do 2 three turns between jumps in a combo (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 or -2 for:
1. They have poor speed, height, air position
2. Receive an under-rotation call (<)
3. In the short program have a break/only one step in the step sequence leading up to the jump
4. Have a poor take-off
5. Loss of flow, direction, or rhythm between jumps in a combo
6. Have a weak landing (meaning the wrong edge, bad posture, scratching, etc.)
7. Long preparation
8. Unclear or wrong take-off on flip or lutz (!)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 for:
1. A lack of rotation with no sign (< or <<)
2. Touching down with one had or free foot
3. Unclear edge on flip or lutz with no sign (e or !)


For Spins:

Skaters will receive a GOE of for:
1. A fall (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -3 for:
1. Poor/awkward/unaesthetic positions
2. Slow/travelling spins
3. Change of foot being poorly done (including curve of entry, moving to non-basic position, etc.)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 to -3 for:
1. Not reaching proper position in the air for flying spins and spins with flying entries (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 for:
1. A touch down with both hands (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -2 for:
1. Less than required revolutions
2. Incorrect landing/take-off of a flying spin
3. Prescribed air position not reached in short program
4. A touch down with free foot or hand


For Step Sequences:

Skaters will receive a GOE of -3 for:
1. A fall (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -3 for:
1. Poor quality of steps, turns, and/or positions

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 to -3 for:
1. Less than half the pattern doing steps or turns (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -2 for:
1. A stumble
2. A sequence that does not correspond with the music

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 for:
1. In the short program performing within the sequence listed jumps of more than a half revolution


For Choreographic Sequences:

Skaters will receive a GOE of -3 for:
1. A fall (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -3 for:
1. A choreographic sequence that does not correspond to the music

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 to -3 for:
1. A serious error (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -2 for:
1. A stumble
2. Poor quality of movements

In Pairs

In all cases, where one skater in the pair makes a mistake on the following lists, both partners receive the deduction

For Lifts:

Skaters will receive a GOE of -3 for:

1. A fall (mandatory - overall)

2. Serious problems in the lifting process (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a Goe of -1 to -3 for:

1. Poor positions in the air or on the landing

2. Poor speed and/or distance

3. Poor turns by man

4. Poor take-off and/or landing

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 for:

1. The lady collapsing on her partner (mandatory - overall)

2.  The lady starts or lands on two feet (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -2 for:

1. Slight problems in the lifting process

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 for:

1. Long preparation

2. A touch down with the free foot

For Twists:

Skaters will receive a GOE of -3 for:

1. In the short program a single twist (mandatory -3 overall)

2. A fall (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -3 for:

1. Poor height and/or distance

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 to -3 for:

1. The lady collapsing on her partner (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 for:

1. The lady not being caught before landing (mandatory - overall)

2. The lady landing on two feet (mandatory - overall)

3. The lady touching down with both hands (mandatory - overall)

4. Being awarded a downgrade (<<) (mandatory - overall)

5. The lady not being caught at the waist

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -2 for:

1. Poor take off- includes poor speed, serious scratching, no toe pick

2. Catch assisted by the man's shoulder

3. Weak landing- includes poor speed, bad positions, awkward catch

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 for:

1. A long preparation

2. A touch down with the free foot

For side by side and throw jumps:

Skaters will receive a GOE of -3 for:

1. One or more revolution less than required (mandatory -3 overall)

2. A fall (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -3 for: 

1. No unison (side by side jumps)

2. Big distance between partners (side by side jumps)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 to -3 for:

1. A downgrade (<<) (mandatory - overall)

2. Severe wrong edge on flip or lutz (e) (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 for:

1. Starting or landing a jump on two feet (mandatory - overall)

2. Stepping out of landing of a jump (mandatory - overall)

3. Touch down with both hands (mandatory - overall)

4. Unequal revolutions by both partners (side by side jumps) (mandatory - overall)
5. Two three turns between jumps in combination (side by side jumps) (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -2 for: 

1. Poor speed, height, air position, and/or distance

2. A poor take off

3. Under-rotation (<)

4. Loss of flow, direction, rhythm between jumps (combo/sequence) (side by side jumps)
5. Poor man's position at take-off (throw jumps)

6. Unclear/wrong edge on lutz or flip jump (!)

7. Weak landing- including bad posture, scratching, wrong edge, etc.

8. Long preparation

9. Touch down with one hand or free foot

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 for:

1. Lack of rotation (no sign < or <<)

2. Unclear/wrong edge on flip or lutz (no sign e or !)

For side by side and pairs spins:

Skaters will receive a GOE of -3 for:
1. A fall (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -3 for:
1. Poor, awkward, and/or unaesthetic positions
2. Slow and/or travelling spins
3. Change of foot poorly executed
4. Slow or reduction of speed
5. No unison, and/or large distance between partners

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 to -3 for:
1. Not achieving required air position in flying spins and spins with a flying entry (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 for:
1. A touch down with both hands (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -2 for:
1. Less than required revolutions
2. Incorrect take-off or landing for flying spins
3. In the short program and pair combination spin (PCoSp) change of foot not at the same time
4. Stop in spin except when changing direction
5. Touch down with free foot or one hand

For Death Spirals:

Skaters will receive a GOE of -3 for:
1. A fall (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -3 for:
1. Poor position of the lady (too high, etc.)
2. Poor exit
3. Slow or reduction of speed

Skaters will receive a GOE of -2 to -3 for:
1. Wrong pivot position (losing pick, etc.) (mandatory - overall)
2. Lady assisted not only by blades (mandatory - overall)

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 to -2 for:
1. Any part of the lady's body (except hair) touching the ice
2. Use of both arms (by the man or lady) to assist the exit

Skaters will receive a GOE of -1 for:
1. A weak edge from the lady

For Step and Choreographic Sequences:
Same as singles


Overall, GOEs are evaluated on both the positive and negative criteria met by the skater within the element, some faults have mandatory negative GOEs and some are specifically -3s, but in most cases it is a matter of judges discretion (as to whether to award the skater a -1 or a -2 when given the option) and simple math to balance out the positives and negatives of any element.

The IJS is an extremely complex system of judging, and though some of it doesn't always make the most sense, it's a serious improvement over the 6.0 system, even if it's a little (or a lot) more difficult for us to understand.

I hope this series has helped you to understand the system a little better, and I hope you're loking forward to the new season as much as I am.