In this section I'll try to explain as clear as possible the Code Of Points (COP) presented by the International Skating Union in 2003 and applied to synchroskating in 2005. This new judging system deeply changed the nature of our sport making it more technical.

It's very important for coaches to know how the COP works because when it's time to build new programs we must know what our team can afford to do on the ice in order to get the highest points possible in competition.

Strategy has become a main duty of a coach. Some coaches tend to make very difficult programs so that every element has the maximum base value. Some others believe that a good execution of easier elements may give the same result. I believe that a good balance of the two things is the more productive way to get the highest points possible from our teams.

According to the latest I.S.U. regulations and communications every synchroskating element has been categorized into difficulty groups. For example:

"S" Wheel belongs to Group 1
4 Spoke Wheel belongs to Group 2
2 Spoke Wheel belongs to Group3

Each group of difficulty has a base value.

Group 1 = 1.6

Group 2 = 2.5

Group 3 = 3.0

The base value of  the elements can be increased performing step sequences and/or other additional features.

In the case of the wheel there's no step sequence but two different features: travelling and change of rotational direction.

The combination of the Group the element belongs to + the Additional Features makes the Levels.

Therefore if a team performs a 2 Spokes Wheel and fulfils the requirements for travelling and change of rotational direction the base value of the wheel is not 3.0 anymore but 4.0.

So, Group + Features makes Levels. The Level is the real base value of each element performed.

The sum of all base values of all elements inside a program gives the potential Program Base Value.

With the introduction of the COP it was necessary that all teams skated the same number of elements in the Free Skating. It was already like that in the Short Program.

Therefore the concept of Well Balanced Program was applied to synchroskating.

After some changes in the number of elements the ISU decided that the 2006/2007 Senior Free Skating shall consist of:

1 Block

1 Line

1 Circle

2 Different Wheels

2 Different Intersections

1 No Hold Step Sequence (NHSS)

2 Movements in Isolation (MI)

1 Moves in the field (MIF)

1 Elements selected from a Spin, Line, Circle or Block

And the Junior Free Skating must contain:

1 Block

1 Line

1 Circle

1 Wheel

2 Different Intersections

1 No Hold Step Sequence

1 Movement in Isolation (MI)

1 Additional element chosen from Blocks, Lines, Circles or Wheels

1 Element selected from Upright Spin or Moves in the field

This means that all teams in the World must perform all the prescribed elements within the program.

Let's make a recapitulation:

Difficulty Group of the element + Features = Base Value of the element.

The sum of the Base Value of all elements inside the program gives the Program Base Value.

It's very important for a coach to know how to calculate and get the highest Program Base Value possible.

But it's not just a matter of calculations because at this point the Technical Panel and the Judges Panel come into play.

The Technical Panel (Technical Specialist, Assistant Technical Specialist and Technical Controller) has the duty to determine the exact Level of each element verifying the requirements (Group and Feature). Often it happens that a coach believes an element performed by his/her team belongs to a certain Level but the Technical Panel calls it at a lower one. This happens for 2 main reasons

1 The coach didn't study the rules enough or tried to interpret instead of applying them.

2 The team doesn't skate every element and every step good enough to be recognizable.

In the creation of a new program it's extremely important to give the team the possibility to clearly show steps, edges and other features because most of the time in competition skaters are under strain and can make little changes in the steps to avoid falling and this determines a change in the name of the steps or flat edges.

So, usually the Program Base Value is lower than expectations.

After the Technical Panel has done its job it's the turn of the Judges Panel.

Judges' duty is to evaluate the Grade Of Execution (GOE) of every single element.

Judges can express their evaluation using a number of + and -.

Judges can give their marks assigning +, ++, +++ (1 plus, 2 pluses, 3 pluses) or -, --, --- (1 minus, 2 minuses, 3 minuses). A judge can confirm the base value giving just "0" (zero) which is in the middle of the range.

After the judges have determined the GOE, each element may have changed its base value.

The result of the application of the GOE on the Base Value of each element provides an Element Score.

The sum of all Element Scores awarded produces the Technical Element Score (TES) and this is the main factor every coach works on.

So, we have seen that the TES depends on Coaches (high knowledge of the rules), on Skaters (they must skate clearly) and on the Technical and Judges Panels (determination of the Base Value and GOE).

That's why a coach must be a good strategist too.

A coach must be able to see the strengths and weaknesses of his/her team and decide if it can get more points in one element staking on the difficulty regardless of the quality or vice versa making a little easier elements but with evident better quality of edges and lines.