Anyone else have questions about the judging of figure skating?

I've watched the short programs of PLUSHENKO and WEIR a couple times now and I can't for the life of me figure out how PLUSHENKO got higher Total Program Component Scores?

If I understand the new scoring system, the Total Program Component Score is the old Artistic Score. Am I mistaken?

Just my opinion, but I think PLUSHENKO is just flailing his arms around and the moves and timing does not fit the music. Any thoughts?

I was very impressed by WEIR's performance. He made it look easy, fluid and graceful. With one small mistake on a triple flip.

Here is my comparison of the two on elements of the programs:

1st 2nd
Jump Style: Weir Plushenko
Jump Diff: Plushenko Weir
Jump Exc: Tied - Both had one mistake
Spins: Weir Plushenko
Music Interp: Weir Plushenko
Footwork: Tied - Weir more elegant,
Plushenko more athletic.

Video and Scoring link:
http://www.nbcolympics.com/results/1500189/detail.html

It's called "the Quad." That move gives Plushenko loads of points and generally I think his footwork is regarded as more difficult and his flexibility and ability to do postures is amazing. But I think it all comes down to The Quad.

But the Quad is a technical score. And he got 9 pts higher for his technical score.

Doing a Quad should have nothing to do with artistry.

Meant to post this in original post:

PLUSHENKO 49.69 40.97 0.00 90.66

WEIR 40.99 39.01 0.00 80.00

1st Score - Total Element Score
2nd Score - Total Program Component Score
3rd Score - Deductions
4th Score - Total Segment Score

I just was on the ISU rules here and there's an awful lot of technical stuff in there that most of us wouldn't be able to judge.

Skating skills include things like sureness of edges, multidirectional skating, acceleration, one foot skating. There's also "transitions" which involve variety, difficulty and intricacy of footwork. Even the choreography/composition things include stuff like pattern and ice coverage. Given that the program components score is quite close, I don't find it too hard to believe that Plushenko could have rated edges in those kinds of things. Especially given that in his interview with CBC, Weir commented he felt he had been a little slow.

Totally agree with you on the jerky arm motions, but I'd guess it's a pretty small part of the score. Maybe he gets points because his spastic moves show his individual personality.

So the quad gives him nine points, and he leads overall by ten--not to be redundant, but, it's the quad.

I found it. The Component breakdown is on p. 35 of the Special Regulations
[BTW - the quad does not go under the Component Scores]

Program Component Scores has 5 parts to evaluate with many subparts to consider.
- Skating Skills
Balance, rhythmic knee action and precision of foot placement
Flow and effortless glide
Cleanness and sureness of deep edges, steps and turns
Power/energy and acceleration
Mastery of multi directional skating
Mastery of one foot skating

- Transitions/Linking Footwork and Movement
Variety
Difficulty
Intricacy
Quality

- Performance/Execution
Physical, emotional and intellectual involvement
Carriage
Style and individuality/personality
Clarity of movement
Variety and contrast
Projection

- Choreography/Composition
Purpose (idea, concept, vision, mood)
Proportion (equal weight of parts)
Unity (purposeful threading of all movements)
Utilization of personal and public space
Pattern and ice coverage
Phrasing and form (movements and parts structured to match the phrasing of the music)
Originality of purpose, movement and design

- Interpretation of the Music
Effortless movement in time to the music (timing)
Expression of the music's style, character and rhythm
Use of *finesse to reflect the nuances of the music

I love that part under Performance/Execution called intellectual involvement. Maybe the judges thought Johnny's involvement was more of a dumbass variety. But I also think Johnny's program was more fluid. He did change parts of the program from Nationals. He used his swan beak hand more in his spins. At Nationals he held his hands together behind his back and in Torino he lifted his hand up and behind his back to give it a more swan like look & movement. I personally am not a fan of Evgeny's style and maybe some the judges like his better than Johnny's style. I also think Evgeny should get at least 25 points taken off for the mullet alone due to an encroachment on personal space under the Choreography/Composition section.

ROFLMAO!

Thank you!

I think EP is having seizures on ice!

Today's Times gives a good breakdown and understanding of how Plushenko has the lead:

total points, jumps, spins, footwork, program components (similiar to artistic impression)

EP: 90.66, 30.65, 9.61, 9.43, 40.97
JW 80.00, -5.94, -0.53, -2.23, -1.96
SL 79.04, -7.21, -0.28, -1.59, -2.54
BJ 77.77, -7.06, +0.48, -2.52, -3.79
and Jeffrey Buttle also has a +.20 on spins.

Program Component Scores has 5 parts to evaluate with many subparts to consider.
- Skating Skills
Balance, rhythmic knee action and precision of foot placement
Flow and effortless glide
Cleanness and sureness of deep edges, steps and turns
Power/energy and acceleration
Mastery of multi directional skating
Mastery of one foot skating
Scores:
Plushenko 8.29
Weir 7.86
Weir should have been graded higher than EP on this in my opinion.

- Transitions/Linking Footwork and Movement
Variety
Difficulty
Intricacy
Quality
Scores:
Plushenko 7.82
Weir 7.64
I’d give this one to EP base on Intricacy and Difficulty.


- Performance/Execution
Physical, emotional and intellectual involvement
Carriage
Style and individuality/personality
Clarity of movement
Variety and contrast
Projection
Scores:
Plushenko 8.29
Weir 7.79
If you like arm flailing, seizures, then this goes to EP.
If not, then Weir has to be given higher marks.


- Choreography/Composition
Purpose (idea, concept, vision, mood)
Proportion (equal weight of parts)
Unity (purposeful threading of all movements)
Utilization of personal and public space
Pattern and ice coverage
Phrasing and form (movements and parts structured to match the phrasing of the music)
Originality of purpose, movement and design
Scores:
Plushenko 8.25
Weir 7.93
Are you kidding me? Weir’s choreography was exceptional!
EP’s was not even in the top 5 for choreography.


- Interpretation of the Music
Effortless movement in time to the music (timing)
Expression of the music's style, character and rhythm
Use of *finesse to reflect the nuances of the music
Scores:
Plushenko 8.32
Weir 7.79
Weir’s had an interpretation.
EP didn’t seem to have an interpretation and was out of rhythm.

All my opinion, but it seems EP got higher scores because the judges
wanted him to have higher scores.

Meeting high expectations (Plushenko) in figure skating is scored higher than far exceeding lower expectations (everybody else), regardless of performance.

Plushenko was supposed to win the gold...all he had to do was come in, skate well, and walk away with the top scores. Nobody else really has a chance. Unfortunate, but true...