Section 6: Scoring
6.1 Timing System
All FIS-sanctioned competitions use electronic timing to 1/100th of a second (0.01 s). The primary timing system uses photocell beams at the start and finish lines. A fully independent backup system (typically a second set of photocells or transponder-based timing) runs in parallel. Intermediate split times are recorded at designated checkpoints along the course. In the event of a timing system failure, the backup time becomes the official result. If both systems fail, hand timing (1/100th s precision) may be used as a last resort at the jury's discretion.
6.2 Race Results
Rankings are determined by total elapsed time. For two-run events (GS, SL, Combined), the sum of both run times determines the final result. In the event of an exact tie (identical times to 1/100th s), competitors share the same ranking position. World Cup points are awarded to the top 30 finishers: 100 points for 1st place, 80 for 2nd, 60 for 3rd, decreasing to 1 point for 30th.
6.3 FIS Points System
FIS points quantify a competitor's performance relative to the race winner and serve as the basis for start order seeding and competition entry eligibility. The penalty calculation formula is:
Race Points (P) = (Tx / T0 − 1) × F
Where Tx is the competitor's time, T0 is the winner's time, and F is a discipline-specific factor (DH: 1280, SG: 1190, GS: 1010, SL: 730). A race penalty is then applied based on the top-5 starters' and top-5 finishers' FIS points to normalize across races of varying strength. Lower FIS points indicate better performance (0.00 being a theoretical perfect score matching the winner of a penalty-free race).
6.4 Photo Finish and Disputes
A photo-finish system records every finish crossing. If a competitor or team coach disputes a result or gate call, they must file a formal protest with the jury within a defined time window (typically 15 minutes after the provisional results are posted). The jury reviews video evidence and gate judge reports before rendering a final decision. A protest fee applies, refundable if the protest is upheld.