Section 6: Scoring
6.1 Overall Impression System
Skateboarding uses an overall impression scoring system rather than assigning fixed point values to individual tricks. Each judge assigns a single score from 0.0 to 100.0 based on the totality of the run or trick. This approach reflects skateboarding's emphasis on style, creativity, and personal expression rather than rigid gymnastics-style difficulty tables.
6.2 Judging Criteria
Judges evaluate the following criteria when assigning scores:
- Difficulty: Technical complexity of tricks attempted and landed. Multi-rotation, multi-flip combinations score higher than basic tricks. Rare or never-before-seen tricks earn significant difficulty credit.
- Execution: Clean landings (bolts caught, no hand-down, no wobble), proper form in the air, and controlled board manipulation. Barely landing or sketchy completions reduce execution scores.
- Composition (runs only): The variety and arrangement of tricks within the run. A well-composed run demonstrates range by including flip tricks, grinds, aerials, and transitions across different obstacles.
- Use of course: Athletes who utilize more of the course — skating multiple sections and obstacles rather than repeating the same feature — receive higher scores.
- Speed: Higher approach speed indicates commitment and increases trick difficulty. Speed through transitions in Park enhances aerial height.
- Style and originality: Personal expression, originality in trick selection, and individual flair. Judges reward athletes who bring unique interpretations rather than copying standard trick lists.
- Flow and continuity: Particularly in Park, smooth transitions between tricks without excessive pushing, stalling, or hesitation are rewarded.
6.3 Score Calculation
- Panel: 5 judges score each performance independently
- Trimming: The highest and lowest scores are discarded
- Averaging: The remaining 3 scores are averaged to two decimal places
- Street final score: Best 4 of 7 scores (2 runs + 5 tricks) summed
- Park final score: Best single run score of 3 attempts
6.4 Tiebreaking
- If athletes are tied on final score, the athlete with the single highest individual score (run or trick) ranks higher
- If still tied, the second-highest individual score is compared, continuing until the tie is broken
- If identical after all comparisons, the tie stands and both athletes receive the same ranking