Law 5: Falls and deductions

Test 1Falls and deductionsTake a test

1. A fall is a loss of control after which the majority of the skater's own body weight is on the ice, supported by hands, knees, back, buttocks or an arm rather than the blades. A touch of the hand alone is not a fall.

   Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 503; ISU Sports Rules SYS 2026, Rule 811.1 · recall

2. Identifying a fall is a duty of the Technical Specialists, which the Technical Controller authorizes or corrects; every fall then carries a deduction.

   Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 430.3, 430.5 and 503 · recall

3. The Technical Specialists identify a fall that happens in any part of the program, the introductory and concluding steps of a Pattern Dance included.

   Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 430.5 and 503 · applied

4. Every illegal element, movement or pose is a deduction of 2.0 per violation.

   Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 353 1.n and 504.2 · recall

5. Interruptions cost 1.0 for more than 10 and up to 20 seconds, 2.0 for more than 20 and up to 30 seconds, and 3.0 for more than 30 and up to 40 seconds.

   Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 353 1.n and 515.4 a · applied

6. The interruption deductions start only for an interruption of more than 10 seconds.

   Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 353 1.n; ISU Sports Rules SYS 2026, Rule 811.2 · applied

7. An interruption with an allowance of up to three minutes to resume from the point of interruption carries a deduction of 5.0 per program.

   Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 353 1.n and 515.4 b · recall

8. In pair skating and ice dance a fall by one partner costs 1.0 and a fall by both 2.0; an interruption of more than 30 and up to 40 seconds costs 3.0.

   Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 353 1.n · applied

9. Juniors lose 1.0 a fall: 3.0. Seniors lose 1.0 for the first and second falls, 2.0 for the third and fourth, 3.0 from the fifth: 4.0, 6.0 and 9.0.

   Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 353 1.n · applied

10. B is down on a knee and a hand with the weight on them, which is a fall. A only brushes the ice with a hand, C has landed on both blades, and D is low in a spin with the weight on the blade.

    Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 503 · applied