Law 1: Pair lifts, twist lifts and carries

A lift's Group is determined by the hold at the moment the Woman passes the top of the Man's head.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · recall

In Groups 3-5 the lifting arm or arms must reach full extension; for the purposes of the rules a lift is complete only with that extension where its type requires it.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (General b; Lifts) · recall

A pair lift needs a minimum of one revolution of the Man. Half a turn on take-off or exit belongs to a pure carry.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · recall

Assistance is allowed only through hand-to-hand, hand-to-arm, hand-to-body and hand to upper leg (above the knee) grips.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · applied

A change of hold means going from one allowed grip to another, or from one hand to the other in a one-hand hold; such changes are permitted during the lift.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · recall

The Woman's positions are Upright (upper body vertical), Star (sideways, upper body parallel to the ice) and Platter (flat, face up or down).

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · applied

In the Platter the Woman lies flat, facing up or down, with her upper body parallel to the ice.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · recall

Group One is the armpit hold, Two the waist, Three hand to hip or upper leg, Four hand to hand of the press type and Five hand to hand of the Lasso type.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · applied

A change of position means going from one of the Woman's positions to another, with one full revolution in each.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · applied

C holds her at the hip, which makes a lift Group Three; the armpit (A) and the waist (B) belong to lower Groups and joined hands (D) to higher ones.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · applied

For the Technical Panel a lift ends when the Man's arms begin to bend after full extension and the Woman starts to come down.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · recall

Judges evaluate the entire lift from take-off to landing, while the Technical Panel counts level features only from full extension to the lift's conclusion.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · recall

Partners may separate from time to time, but the program must still give an impression of unison and harmony; it should look like genuine pair skating, not two single skaters.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (General a) · recall

Pure carry lifts have no value, are not limited in number and are considered in the Composition component.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Carry Lifts) · recall

Carries are not counted in the number of overhead lifts and may be skated any number of times; any hold, and carrying on the back, shoulders or knees, is allowed in them.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Carry Lifts) · recall

Small lifts, ascending and descending or rotational, with the Man's hands no higher than shoulder level, and movements holding the Woman by the legs are permitted.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (General b) · recall

The Man must catch the Woman in the air at the waist before she lands and help her to a smooth landing on one foot. Landing unassisted is what a throw jump does.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Twist lifts) · recall

A pure carry has no rotation; only half a revolution of the Man is allowed on the take-off and/or the exit. Lifts with a full revolution may also include a carry.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Carry Lifts) · applied

The Woman rotates freely in the air and is caught at the waist before landing, then assisted to land on one foot.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Twist lifts) · applied

Level features (apart from those of the take-off or landing) count from full extension of the Man's arms (B) to the lift's conclusion, when the arms begin to bend (C). A is the take-off, D the landing.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 619 (Lifts) · applied