Skating Technology: Photo Finish, ISU Judging and Broadcast for Speed and Figure

Speed and inline skating: same kit as athletics

Roller-speed, inline and short-track ice speed skating are timed exactly like sprint athletics. The standard stack is a FinishLynx photo finish camera at the line, a Lynx Wind / Reaction sensor for start blocks where applicable, and RaceResults 12 or a federation MMS for entries, heats and results. Lap counters and large timer displays (Lynx ScoreBoard or Daktronics) sit at the finish.

Figure skating: ISU Judging System

Figure skating uses the ISU Judging System (IJS): nine judges score Grade of Execution (GOE) on each element, a technical panel identifies elements in real time, and the system computes Technical Element Score (TES) and Program Component Score (PCS) using mathematical drops. The judging tablets, the technical panel video review, and the live results publishing all run through ISU-approved software (typically the IndTA / ISUCalcFS chain).

What a national-level skating event needs

• Photo finish (FinishLynx) and start sensor for speed disciplines
• Lap counter and timer displays at the rink
• ISU Judging System workstations (one per judge + tech panel + data operator) for figure skating
• Centralised results desk publishing protocols to the federation website
• Live broadcast feed with graphics overlay (often a multi-camera + ATEM workflow)

Broadcast graphics for skating

Speed skating graphics resemble athletics: start list, lane times, splits, current leader bug, photo-finish replay sting. Figure skating graphics include element-by-element TES breakdown, GOE callouts per judge, running total during the score-reveal moment, and final ranking card.

Broadcast graphics typically include lower-thirds for athlete names and bios, an on-screen scoreboard or 'bug' fed live from the scoring system, dynamic start lists, results pages, head-to-head comparisons, sponsor bumpers, replay wipes, and end-of-session summary cards. Output is usually delivered over SDI from a graphics engine (vMix, Singular.live, CasparCG, or a federation-supplied template pack) into the ATEM or production switcher.