How is the allround speed skating championship scored?
A · Advanced · Team, mass start and combined events · 2 of 3In allround and sprint championships, each skater's times are turned into points by the time per 500 m. A 500 m time in seconds counts as points, a 1000 m time is halved and a 1500 m time divided by three. The lowest total wins. A skater must finish every earlier distance to start the last one.
How it works
- Points: seconds per 500 m.
- 500 m: seconds as points.
- 1000 m: half; 1500 m: a third; 3000 m: a sixth.
- 5000 m: a tenth; 10,000 m: a twentieth.
- Decimals: three, with the fourth dropped.
- Winner: lowest total after all distances.
- Allround (men): 500 m, 5000 m, 1500 m and 10,000 m over two days.
- Sprint: 500 m and 1000 m, each skated twice.
The glossary has the allround combination, the sprint combination, the disciplines and events, the official time, the lap and the split time.
Tricky cases
A skater does a 1500 m in 1:45.00. How many points?
35.000: 105 seconds divided by three.
Can a skater skip a distance and still win?
No. They must complete all distances.
Is the final distance open to everyone?
Not always; where it is limited, only the leaders skate it, and the rest are ranked on earlier points.
Two skaters tie on points. What then?
They share the rank.
Why the rule exists
Converting to time per 500 m puts short and long races on one scale. Requiring every distance rewards the all-round skater the event is named for.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Women's allround | 500 m, 3000 m, 1500 m, 5000 m | ISU 201 (1.2)(f) |
| Men's allround | 500 m, 5000 m, 1500 m, 10,000 m | ISU 201 (1.2)(g) |
| Sprint | 500 m and 1000 m, twice | ISU 201 (1.2)(h) |
From the rule book
ISU, Sports Rules: Speed Skating (as of 12 June 2026), rules 201, 265 (2) to (4), 266 and 268 (1). Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the ISU Sports Rules, updated each season with ISU Communications.