A competitive trampoline event involves athletes performing complex aerial routines judged on execution, difficulty, and time of flight. It's not just about bouncing high; it's a precise sport with specific rules and scoring criteria.
Competitive trampoline focuses on routines comprising a series of skills performed while bouncing. Athletes aim for height, control, and technical precision while executing difficult twists and somersaults.
Scoring Components in Competitive Trampoline
The final score in competitive trampoline is typically a combination of several factors:
- Execution Score: Judges assess the form, technique, stability, and position of the athlete during each skill. Deductions are made for errors like bent knees, poor body shape, or landing outside the designated zone on the trampoline bed. This score reflects how well the routine was performed.
- Difficulty Score: This score measures the complexity of the skills performed in the routine. As the reference states, Each athlete begins his or her routine with zero difficulty points. Each element performed has a specific difficulty value. By checking the difficulty values entered on the competition card (and ensuring that the same elements are performed), the judges determine the final difficulty score for a routine and display it. More difficult skills, such as multiple somersaults with multiple twists, have higher difficulty values.
- Time of Flight Score: This component measures the total time the athlete spends in the air during the routine. Longer air time, indicating higher bounces, results in a higher score in this category.
Breakdown of Scoring
Let's look closer at the key elements that contribute to an athlete's score:
- Elements: A competitive routine consists of a set number of elements, typically 10. Each element is a specific skill (e.g., a straight jump, a tuck somersault, a double back somersault with a twist).
- Difficulty Values: Each element is assigned a numerical difficulty value based on the number of somersaults, twists, and body positions. Performing more complex skills increases the potential difficulty score.
- Execution Judging: A panel of execution judges watches the routine for technical faults. They start with a maximum score (e.g., 10 points) and deduct for errors in body shape, landing control, and other technical aspects.
- Time of Flight Calculation: An electronic apparatus usually measures the exact time the athlete is airborne during the routine. This time is then converted into a score.
The Competition Card
Before a competition, athletes or their coaches submit a competition card. This card lists the specific elements the athlete intends to perform in their routine. The judges use this card to check that the performed elements match the planned ones, ensuring the correct difficulty value is awarded.
| Scoring Component | What is Judged? | How is it Calculated? |
|---|---|---|
| Execution | Form, technique, control, stability | Deductions from a starting score |
| Difficulty | Complexity of skills (somersaults/twists) | Sum of specific values for each performed element |
| Time of Flight | Total air time during routine | Measured electronically and converted to a score |
The scores from these components are combined according to specific rules set by the governing body (like the International Gymnastics Federation - FIG) to determine the final score for the routine. The athlete with the highest final score wins the competition.
Essentially, a winning competitive trampoline routine requires a balance of performing highly difficult skills with excellent technique, all while achieving significant height.
