Would technical errors (i.e. falls, underrotations, wrong edge take off etc.) affect pcs? If so, is it a large extent?
Thanks for asking!
Ah, you’ve found one of my sore points…
To a degree, technical errors should have some effect on PCS if they are obvious, particularly in PE, SS and IN. However, in recent years, we have seen little to no punishment in PCS for large errors. As an extra insult, I have even seen a program where the skater opened up with a hard fall receive a 10Â in PCS. I do not believe you should be getting 9s and 10s in PCS if you fall, no matter who you are. A fall is, by its very definition, an interruption, a flaw in the program. But I recognise that my opinion is considered a harsh one.
Nevertheless, the ISU seems to agree with me in one respect - the latest technical communication clearly states that a program with a major error should not be getting 10s in PCS. That won’t stop some judges giving certain skaters 9.75s even if they fall, but it’s a start.
