How remote judging has revolutionized Moguls and Aerials

Judging has long been a topic of debate in sport, particularly in events where subjective scores determine the result. Within the FIS family, the World Cup disciplines which rely heavily on marks awarded by judges are Freestyle Skiing - comprising Moguls and Aerials - Snowboard and Freeski Park & Pipe, and Ski Jumping.

For Moguls and Aerials, the 2024/25 season marks the third full year of using remote judging in the World Cup series. While Aerials competitions depend entirely on technical assessments by judges, 20% of a Moguls scores is based on the time taken for a run with the other 80% - 60% for turns and 20% for air - decided subjectively.

As of the start of this season, the system employs advanced video technology from VOGO, a trusted provider across multiple sports. As well as VAR (video assistant referee) for football, VOGO’s video replay solutions are used in rugby, basketball, handball, ice hockey, and BMX freestyle.

The driving force behind this innovation is Moguls & Aerials Race Director Andrea Rinaldi. He says the idea partly came from a wish to save money and promote environmental sustainability.

“The concept was introduced to leverage technology solutions, primarily to reduce costs for event organizers,” Rinaldi explains. “With a panel of up to seven scoring judges in Moguls and Dual Moguls and five for Aerials - plus a head judge, the costs of travel, accommodation, and logistics are significant. Additionally, there’s the sustainability aspect: by minimizing travel, we significantly reduce the event’s carbon footprint.”

Under the remote system, only the head judge is present at the venue. The rest of the panel connects to VOGO’s video platform from home.

“In principle, the head judge on site operates the system and ensures that all the judges are connected,” says Rinaldi. “There is always a reserve judge available in case of connection issues, though this has rarely occurred over two full seasons of using the system.”

The video solution replicates the judges’ on-site perspective with front views for Moguls, side views for Aerials. The head judge provides judges with slow-motion replays or additional angles as required, ensuring more accurate scoring.

Improved consistency, scalability and accuracy

Following successful trials, remote judging was fully implemented for the 2022/23 FIS Freestyle Moguls and Aerials World Cup series. While the financial and environmental benefits are obvious, another major advantage is the standardizing of judging across events worldwide.

“The most important consideration was to provide a reliable, consistent framework that could be implemented across venues globally,” reveals Rinaldi. “This ensures a uniform experience for judges, enabling them to perform their duties fairly.”

The scalability of the remote judging system is another key asset. It has been adapted for use at various levels of competition, including the Continental Cup and Junior World Championships, providing a cost-effective solution for events with tighter budgets.

As well as those economic savings, remote judging has been a game-changer in terms of delivering consistent, high-quality assessments.

“Judging freestyle sports is inherently subjective,” Rinaldi acknowledges. “However, by using technology, we provide judges with high-quality visuals which often offer better clarity than on-site views and reduce the likelihood of errors.”

The system is not being considered for the World Championships and Olympic Winter Games with the combination of on-site officials and advanced technology guaranteeing the highest level of adjudication. It also allows for more effective communication with coaches and athletes, as well as instant feedback to promote transparency and enhance the competition experience as befitting the pinnacle of the sport.

"At our major events, like the World Championships and Olympic Games, having judges on-site ensures a seamless event integration of advanced technology with human oversight, thus creating the ultimate mix. Our goal is to achieve the most fair and accurate results during these high pressure events," remarks Rinaldi.

Outside of the World Championships and Olympics, remote judging has enabled a more accessible framework for Moguls and Aerials events by reducing costs and standardizing processes. It represents a major step towards making competitions fairer, more efficient, and better aligned with the demands of a global audiences as Freestyle Skiing continues to evolve.