For competitive figure skaters in Skate Canada's Pre-Juvenile to Senior categories, 2026-27 season. Covers age limits, program lengths, scoring, deductions, costumes, music, warm-ups and sectional to national qualification.
Ages are measured against July 1 before the event. "Not reached" means you must not yet have reached that age on July 1.
Singles
Pairs
Ice Dance
Source: Skate Canada Rule Book, Competition Program Requirements, Podium Pathway, section 1 (last updated 30 June 2026).
Lengths are plus or minus 10 seconds. A program time violation is deducted per 5 seconds short or over.
Singles
Pairs
Ice Dance
Source: Competition Program Requirements, Podium Pathway, section 2 (last updated 30 June 2026).
Each category requires a minimum Freeskate or Dance Assessment. Examples in the Competition Program Requirements: STAR 5 for Pre-Juvenile and Juvenile, STAR 6 for Pre-Novice, and Gold for Junior and Senior. Ice dance has partner-specific rules.
For 2026-27, the second partner in ice dance needs: any Star 6 for Pre-Novice, any Star 8 for Novice, and any Gold for Junior and Senior. These must be passed at least three weeks before the Sectional Championship (Competitions Rule 6), although non-qualifying competitions may allow skating up without them.
Pre-Juvenile and Juvenile are part of Skate Canada's Learn to Train stage and are not part of the Podium Pathway.
Source: Competition Program Requirements, Podium Pathway (last updated 30 June 2026); Notice Board, 2026-2027 Season Updates to the Podium Pathway program requirements.
Each segment total is the Total Element Score (TES) plus the Program Component (PC) score, plus bonuses, minus deductions.
Source: Scoring of Skate Canada Competitions, section 1 (last updated 30 June 2026). The page's introduction says the highest total of all segments decides the winner, while section 1.7 adds segment totals; the page does not reconcile the two.
Each component mark is multiplied by a category factor. Factors are listed as Composition / Presentation / Skating Skills.
Singles and Pairs, Short Program
Singles and Pairs, Free Skate
Ice Dance (Timing or Composition / Presentation / Skating Skills)
Pattern dance totals are multiplied by 0.5.
Source: Scoring of Skate Canada Competitions, section 2 (last updated 30 June 2026).
Skate Canada's March 2026 notice lists these changes for 2026-27.
Singles
Pairs
Also new: Pre-Novice Solo Ice Dance was added, and domestic Junior pair age ranges were updated.
Source: Skate Canada Notice Board, 2026-2027 Season Updates to the Podium Pathway Singles, Pairs and Ice Dance Program Requirements (26 March 2026); Rule Book Updates Effective July 1, 2026.
A fall is a loss of control in which most of your body weight is on the ice, supported by something other than the blades, such as hands, knees, back, buttocks or arms. The technical panel applies the deduction.
In pairs and ice dance, falls are applied per skater.
Source: Rule Book Updates Effective July 1, 2026; Scoring of Skate Canada Competitions, section 4; Competitions (Terms Used).
Deductions are per violation. Level A is Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile and STAR 5-8; B is Pre-Novice and Novice (and STAR 9-Gold); C is Junior and Senior.
| Deduction | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Program time violation (per 5 seconds short or over) | 0.20 | 0.50 | 1.00 |
| Late start (1-30 seconds late; 31+ seconds is withdrawal) | 0.20 | 0.50 | 1.00 |
| Illegal element (per violation) | 0.40 | 1.00 | 2.00 |
Interruptions of up to 40 seconds are deducted by the Referee:
| Level | 11-20 sec | 21-30 sec | 31-40 sec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile | 0.20 | 0.40 | 0.60 |
| Pre-Novice, Novice | 0.50 | 1.00 | 1.50 |
| Junior, Senior | 1.00 | 2.00 | 3.00 |
For an interruption using the three-minute allowance, the deduction is 1.00 (Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile), 2.50 (Pre-Novice, Novice) or 5.00 (Junior, Senior) per program.
Source: Scoring of Skate Canada Competitions, section 4 (last updated 30 June 2026).
Under Competitions Rule 2.7:
Deduction sizes for a costume or prop violation (per program) are 0.20 for Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile and STAR 5-8; 0.50 for Pre-Novice and Novice; and 1.00 for Junior and Senior. Part of a costume falling on the ice carries the same amounts.
Source: Skate Canada Rule Book, Competitions (last updated 14 July 2026); Scoring of Skate Canada Competitions (last updated 30 June 2026).
Under Competitions Rule 2.9, all programs must be skated to music, in harmony with the music chosen. Vocals are permitted in all disciplines.
If there is a problem with your music, stop when you become aware of it or when the Referee signals. No deduction applies for music-related interruptions (Rule 3.11).
Some ice dance segments have set music requirements: the Junior Rhythm Dance uses a Westminster Waltz at a minimum of 162 beats per minute, and the Senior Rhythm Dance uses a Golden Waltz at a minimum of 186 beats per minute, both in 3/4 or 6/8 time. In ice dance, a music-requirements violation is deducted 0.40 (Juvenile), 1.00 (Pre-Novice, Novice) or 2.00 (Junior, Senior) per program.
Source: Skate Canada Rule Book, Competitions; Competition Program Requirements, Podium Pathway; Scoring of Skate Canada Competitions.
Under Competitions Rule 3.9:
The Referee or Technical Representative may reduce a warm-up to a minimum of three minutes, except in synchronized skating.
Source: Skate Canada Rule Book, Competitions (last updated 14 July 2026) and Rule Book Updates Effective July 1, 2026.
The route runs through your Section's Sectional Championships (Competitions Rule 8) and then Skate Canada Challenge.
Source: Skate Canada Rule Book, Competitions (last updated 14 July 2026).