In just one week, the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026 will kick off in full, with the Women taking to the ice first for their Short Programs. Spectators can look forward to being swept away by a wave of emоtion. While women’s figure skating continues to retain its grace and elegance, the boundaries of athletic performance are constantly being pushed. Triple jumps are now standard, and some skaters even include the triple Axel in their repertoire—such as Amber Glenn and Ami Nakai. Attention next Wednesday will also be on three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto, who has chosen the evocative song Time to Say Goodbye for her Short Program as she bids farewell to her remarkably successful competitive career. Czech fans, meanwhile, will be cheering for Barbora Vránková.
The Women’s Short Program will open the ISU Figure Skating World Championships on Wednesday, March 25 at 11:30. Tickets are available HERE.
Women’s competitions consist of two segments: the Short Program and the Free Skating. Each segment has clearly defined ISU requirements that determine the structure of the program, while still leaving enough space for the skater’s individual style and personality to stand out. Jump elements and their combinations form the core of every program. These jumps are complemented by elegant spins and step sequences.
SHORT PROGRAM
Wednesday, March 25 from 11:30
The Short Program for Women’s Singles is designed to showcase a balanced combination of technical difficulty, skating skills, and artistic expression within a clearly defined structure of Required Elements. Each skater selects music of their own choice; vocal music with lyrics is permitted.
Duration: 2 minutes a 40 seconds (± 10 seconds)
Required Elements season 2025/2026:
- One Double or Triple Axel Paulsen;
- One Triple Jump;
- One Jump Combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump, or two triple jumps;
- One Flying Spin;
- One Layback or Sideways Leaning Spin, or one Sit Spin or Camel Spin without change of foot;
- One Spin Combination with only one change of foot;
- One Step Sequence fully utilizing the ice surface.
All elements must be smoothly integrated into the choreography and performed with attention to edge quality, speed, flow, and musical interpretation. Judges evaluate not only the technical execution of the required elements, but also the overall performance quality, including transitions, timing, and presentation.
FREE SKATING
Friday, March 27 from 18:00
Free Skating allows skaters greater creative freedom while maintaining a clearly defined structure of Required Elements. Programs must demonstrate a well-balanced composition, strong skating technique, and expressive interpretation of the chosen music. The music is selected by the skater, and vocal music with lyrics is permitted.
Duration: 4 minutes (± 10 seconds)
Well Balanced Program:
- Maximum of seven jump elements, including at least one Axel-type jump;
- Maximum of 3 spins, one of which must be a spin combination, one a flying spin or a spin with a flying entrance and one a spin with only one position;
- Maximum of one Step Sequence;
- Maximum of one Choreographic Sequence.
All elements must be linked by steps and other connecting movements and performed in harmony with the chosen music. Throughout the program, judges evaluate both technical execution and artistic quality, including skating skills, flow, balance, musical interpretation, and overall presentation.
Entry list – WOMEN
Barbora Vránková (CZE)
Barbora Vránková is a three-time senior Czech national champion. With these titles, she built on her successful junior career, during which she also won the national championships. In Prague, she will make her debut at the ISU Figure Skating World Championships.
For this season, she and her team selected Clouds and The Mind on the (Re)Wind by Ezio Bosso for her Short Program. Her Free Skating is set to a selection of music from the Titanic movie — Rose, Hard to Starboard, including the famous My Heart Will Go On by Céline Dion.
SPINS
Alongside the individual disciplines, we would also like to take a closer look at some of the figure skating elements. Today, we focus on spins. These are divided into three basic categories:
- upright spin (including Layback Spin),
- sit spin,
- camel spin.
A separate category is the combination spin, in which the skater changes position, or both foot and position.
Each spin has an assigned base value (Base Value), which can be increased by including various difficult variations. To achieve the highest level, Level 4, at least four different features must be executed. These features may include, for example, difficult positions requiring exceptional flexibility or strength, a difficult entry or exit, a change of foot by jump or a a jump during the spin, a change of edge, rotation in both directions without interruption, a clear acceleration, at least eight revolutions in one difficult position, or a difficult flying entry. Some features can be counted only once per program, while others may be counted at most twice within one spin. If the skater performs fewer than three revolutions, the element cannot be called as a spin.
For reference, the base values of spins are provided below:
| Base | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upright | 1,00 | 1,20 | 1,50 | 1,90 | 2,40 |
| Layback | 1,20 | 1,50 | 1,90 | 2,40 | 2,70 |
| Camel | 1,10 | 1,40 | 1,80 | 2,30 | 2,60 |
| Sit | 1,10 | 1,30 | 1,60 | 2,10 | 2,50 |
VARIATIONS
A wide range of variations can be developed from the basic elements mentioned above, and skaters, together with their coaches and choreographers, are constantly trying to create new and original positions.
Upright spins are the very foundations of all spins. The skater rotates on one or both feet around their axis. They can, for example, enhance the spin by pulling the free leg in front of the body horizontally (shotgun), close to the face (“I”), or extended to the side in a split (“Y”).
Layback spins are an elegant classic of women’s figure skating. Essentially, they are a variant of the upright spin with a pronounced backward or sideways arch of the torso, usually performed by female skaters, rotating on one foot.
Camel spins create a perfect line with the knee of the free leg higher that the hip and the torso parallel to the ice. The basic position can be enhanced by forming a “donut,” in which the skater’s torso and leg create a perfect circle. A special variation is the flying spin with a quick “scissor” motion of the legs in the air, resembling a fly of a butterfly (butterfly spin).
Sit spins also offer a wide range of variations. As the name suggests, they are performed in a low position on one leg. In the basic “squat” position, the free leg is extended forward parallel to the ice. It can also be turned inward (broken leg) or crossed behind the standing leg (corkscrew). Other interesting variations include a flying sit spin or a pancake.
INTERESTING FACTS
Spin speeds can reach up to 342 revolutions per minute. The Guinness World Record for this speed has been held since 2015 by Canadian skater Olivia Oliver.
The pinnacle of flexibility is the Biellmann spin, named after Swiss skater Denise Biellmann. The skater rotates on one leg while pulling the other leg high over and behind their head from behind, forming a teardrop shape with the body.
