Question: "Why Do Figure Skaters Fall Down and Still Place High? I Don't Get It!"
Ice skating fans don't always understand how figure skating is scored. This short article explains why figure skaters that fall can place higher than skaters that seem to have skated perfectly.
Answer:
Every Move a Figure Skater Attempts Means Points
At a figure skating competition, each move in an ice skater's program equals certain points. For example, a triple jump is assigned many more points than a double jump.Spectators can see what they think is a "perfect program," but if the competitor doesn't have elements in their routine that will get high points, a skater can place behind someone who attempted jumps and spins that are awarded higher scores.
This means that even if a skater falls down and makes obvious errors, that a skater with a flawless program can place behind a skater that falls.
