Law 7: Draws, starting order and warm-up

The draws for the starting order are made publicly by the Referee, who asks the organising committee to check the spelling of the names.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 512.1 · recall

Starting numbers are drawn by each competitor if present, otherwise by official representatives of their ISU Member or by members of the organising committee.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 512.2 · applied

The Referee of each competition makes the official announcement of the entries and panels at the time of its first starting-order draw; ISU Events and the Olympics may use other procedures.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 512.3 · recall

A competitor draws which ISU Member starts the draw; the skaters then draw their starting order in alphabetical order of their Members from that one. ISU Championships, the Olympics and the Grand Prix follow their own procedures.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 513.1 a · recall

At the Grand Prix Semifinal and Final, the Short Program or Rhythm Dance runs in reverse order of the final Series standings; a tie is settled by a draw.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 513.1 c (ii) · recall

Skaters without World Standing points are listed at the bottom in country order, and a separate draw decides their starting order.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 520.1 f · applied

The second Pattern Dance starts with the first couple of the second group, followed by the rest in drawn order, and then the first group from its couple number one.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 513.1 b · applied

At ISU Championships the list follows the World Standings at the time of the Team Leaders Meeting; starting-order groups follow the table, each splits into two subgroups, and a free draw runs in each with the highest ranked drawing first.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 520.1 a-d · recall

A preliminary, unofficial announcement of entries and officials comes after the closing of entries and at least seven days before the competition; the official one is made at the first draw.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 511 and 512.3 · applied

At a senior Grand Prix event the Short Program runs in reverse order of the World Standings, so the lowest ranked skater, D at 30th, starts.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 513.1 c (i) · applied

Tied competitors go into the same group, and their starting order is drawn by lot by the Referee with the Technical Controller present.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 513.2 d · applied

Places freed by a withdrawal before the next segment are not filled; the number of qualified competitors simply drops.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 513.3 · applied

A withdrawal announced after the draw changes neither the starting order nor the warm-up groups: the spot remains empty.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 513.3 · applied

Unlike a withdrawal, a disqualification is filled by the first skater who had not reached the next segment, who gets the first starting numbers in the first warm-up group.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 513.4 · applied

At ISU Championships the top 24 in single skating, 16 in pair skating (20 at the World Championships) and 20 in ice dance qualify for the final segment.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 520.2 · recall

Pairs qualify 1-16 at ISU Championships, but 1-20 at the World Championships.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 520.2 · recall

When the tie falls on the last qualifying place, all the tied skaters qualify and are drawn in the same, first group.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 520.4 · applied

The Free Skating and Free Dance run in reverse order of the result of the first segment, so the leader skates last.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 513.2 a · applied

The skaters are split into the smallest number of equal groups; when the numbers do not divide evenly, the last groups get one more, and the lowest placed group skates first.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 513.2 b-c and 514.2 a · applied

In ice dance the top 20 after the Rhythm Dance qualify for the Free Dance at ISU Championships, so the line falls after place 20, at mark C.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 520.2 · applied

Warm-up periods must be allotted to all competitors.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.1 · recall

Warm-ups must immediately precede the competitive skating of the competitors in that warm-up group.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.4 · recall

After an interruption of the segment of more than 10 minutes due to unforeseen circumstances, the competitors concerned get a second warm-up of the normal duration for that segment.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.4 · applied

The Pattern Dance warm-up lasts 3 minutes: the first 30 seconds without music, then 2 minutes 30 seconds of the sixth, last tune of the ISU ice dance music.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.2 c · recall

The Rhythm Dance and the junior and senior Free Dance get 5 minutes; the novice Free Dance gets 3, still for at most five couples.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.2 d · recall

Single skating may go one over the maximum; two or more over, or any pair or couple over, splits the group into two subgroups, each skating right after its own warm-up.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.3 · applied

A Pattern Dance warm-up takes up to six couples, one more than the Rhythm Dance and Free Dance warm-ups, which take five.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.2 c · recall

Up to four pairs, five couples for the Rhythm Dance and Free Dance, and six single skaters.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.2 · recall

3 minutes for the Pattern Dances, 5 for the junior and senior Rhythm Dance and Free Dance, 6 for single and pair skating.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.2 · recall

In single skating a group made bigger by a tie (or an added skater) may exceed the maximum of six by one, so seven may warm up together.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 514.3 · applied