ISU releases Technical Panel Handbook for the 2026/27 season

A new resource to get ready for the upcoming season! The International Skating Union (ISU) has made its Technical Panel Handbook available for the 2026/27 season. The 25-page document outlines the procedures followed by technical panels and the criteria used to identify elements and their levels of difficulty during competitions.

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The handbook is primarily intended for Technical Controllers, Technical Specialists, and Data and Replay Operators. It covers procedures before and during competitions, as well as the review process following each program.

The ISU states that elements and their levels must be determined based on what teams actually perform during competition. Observations made during practice sessions may support reviews, but element calls must not be decided in advance.

The document also explains how certain errors affect technical levels. For example, when at least one-quarter of a team fails to meet a general element requirement, the level is lowered by one for each requirement not met, with Base being the lowest possible call.
Several sections focus on specific elements, including Group Lifts, Intersections and turn errors. The handbook provides examples of different situations and explains when an element or technical feature may not be counted.

Finally, the handbook specifies that Technical Panel calls can be corrected before scores are announced. Once the scores have been announced, only numerical or calculation errors may be corrected.

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