What must a skater do in the artistic short program?
B · Beginner · Free skating · 3 of 4Junior and senior free skaters perform a short program of 2:45, give or take 5 seconds. It must contain an Axel, a combination of two or three jumps, a solo jump that is not an Axel, a one-position spin, a combination spin (one of the two spins a sit spin) and a footwork sequence of up to 40 seconds.
How it works
- Seniors and juniors: 2:45, plus or minus 5 seconds.
- Cadet and youth: 2:30; espoir: 2:00.
- Axel: single, double or triple.
- Combination: two or three jumps, at most two triples.
- Solo jump: any jump but an Axel.
- Spins: one position spin and one combination spin; one must be a sit.
- Footwork: up to 40 seconds.
- Repeats: only one jump may appear twice, once in a combination.
The glossary has the short program (artistic), the free skating (artistic), the solo jump and combination jump, the spin (artistic), the footwork sequence and the missing mandatory element.
Tricky cases
A skater leaves out the Axel. Penalty?
1.0 for a missing mandatory element, and the last jump element is given no value.
Can a skater do three triples in the combination?
No. At most two triples are allowed in it.
A skater falls on the first jump of the combination. Is it missing?
No. It counts as an attempt; the fall is penalised.
What must espoir skaters show in spins?
A sit and camel combination, and a separate camel spin.
Why the rule exists
A fixed list of elements makes the short program a direct test of the same skills. It rewards clean execution over extra difficulty.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Junior and senior | 2:45 | AF p6, p7 |
| Cadet and youth | 2:30 | AF p6, p7 |
| Espoir | 2:00, single Axel only | AF p6, p8 |
From the rule book
World Skate, Free Skating Rules for Artistic Skating (2026), Free skating and Short programs. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: the World Skate artistic technical rules 2026.