2023 World Figure Skating Championships

The 2023 World Figure Skating Championships were held from March 22 to 26, 2023, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), the World Championships are considered the most prestigious event in figure skating. Medals were awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. The competition determined the entry quotas for each skating federation at the 2024 World Championships. Shoma Uno and Kaori Sakamoto, both of Japan, won the men's and women's events, respectively. Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan won the pairs event, and Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States won the ice dance event.

The World Figure Skating Championships are considered the most prestigious event in figure skating.^[1] The 2023 World Championships were held from March 22 to 26, 2023, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.^[2]

Based on the results of the 2022 World Championships, each ISU member nation could field one to three entries per discipline.^[3] Skaters from Russia and Belarus were banned from participating "until further notice" due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[4]

The International Skating Union published the initial list of entrants on February 28, 2023.^[5]

Women competing in single skating first performed their short programs on Wednesday, March 22, while men performed theirs on Thursday, March 23.^[2] Lasting no more than 2 minutes 40 seconds,^[8] the short program had to include the following elements:

For men: one double or triple Axel; one triple or quadruple jump; one jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump, two triple jumps, or a quadruple jump and a double jump or triple jump; one flying spin; one camel spin or sit spin with a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and a step sequence using the full ice surface.^[9]

For women: one double or triple Axel; one triple jump; one jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump, or two triple jumps; one flying spin; one layback spin, sideways leaning spin, camel spin, or sit spin without a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and one step sequence using the full ice surface.^[10]

Women performed their free skates on Friday, March 24, while men performed theirs on Saturday, March 25.^[2] The free skate could last no more than 4 minutes,^[8] and had to include the following: seven jump elements, of which one had to be an Axel-type jump; three spins, of which one had to be a spin combination, one a flying spin, and one a spin with only one position; a step sequence; and a choreographic sequence.^[11]

Couples competing in pair skating performed their short programs on Wednesday, March 22.^[2] Lasting no more than 2 minutes 40 seconds,^[8] the short program had to include the following elements: one pair lift, one double or triple twist lift, one double or triple throw jump, one double or triple solo jump, one solo spin combination with a change of foot, one death spiral, and a step sequence using the full ice surface.^[12]

Couples performed their free skates on Thursday, March 23.^[2] The free skate could last no more than 4 minutes,^[8] and had to included the following elements: three pair lifts, of which one had to be a twist lift; two different throw jumps; one solo jump; one jump combination or sequence; one pair spin combination; one death spiral; and a choreographic sequence.^[13]

Couples competing in ice dance performed their rhythm dances on Friday, March 24.^[2] Lasting no more than 2 minutes 50 seconds,^[8] the rhythm dance this season had to feature at least two different Latin dance styles. Examples of applicable dance styles included the following: salsa, bachata, merengue, mambo, cha-cha-cha, rhumba, and samba. The required pattern dance element had to be skated to a different Latin style. The rhythm dance had to include the following elements: one pattern dance step sequence, one choreographic rhythm sequence, one dance lift, one set of sequential twizzles, and one step sequence.^[14]

Couples then performed their free dances on Saturday, March 25.^[2] The free dance could last no longer than 4 minutes,^[8] and had to include the following: three short dance lifts or one short dance lift and one combination lift, one dance spin, one set of synchronized twizzles, one step sequence in hold, one turns sequence while on one skate and not touching, and three choreographic elements.^[14]

All of the technical elements in any figure skating performance – such as jumps and spins – were assigned a predetermined base point value and were then scored by a panel of nine judges on a scale from –5 to 5 based on their quality of execution.^[15] The judging panel's Grade of Execution (GOE) was determined by calculating the trimmed mean (the average after discarding the highest and lowest scores), and this GOE was added to the base value to come up with the final score for each element. The panel's scores for all elements were added together to generate a total element score.^[16] At the same time, the judges evaluated each performance based on five program components – skating skills, transitions, performance, composition, and interpretation of the music – and assigned a score from 0.25 to 10 in 0.25-point increments. The judging panel's final score for each program component was also determined by calculating the trimmed mean. Those scores were then multiplied by the factor shown on the following chart; the results were added together to generate a total program component score.^[17]

Deductions were applied for certain violations like time infractions, stops and restarts, or falls.^[19] The total element score and total program component score were added together, minus any deductions, to generate a final performance score for each skater or team.^[20]

Medals were awarded to the skaters or teams who achieved the highest overall placements in each discipline.

Small medals were awarded to the skaters or teams who achieved the highest short program or rhythm dance placements in each discipline.

Small medals were awarded to the skaters or teams who achieved the highest free skate or free dance placements in each discipline.

Based on the results of the 2023 World Championships, these nations would be eligible to enter more than one skater or team at the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships in the indicated disciplines.^[26]

• "Special Regulations & Technical Rules – Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance 2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.

• World Championships Archived 2023-02-07 at the Wayback Machine at the International Skating Union
• Results