Single skating

Single skating is a discipline of figure skating in which male and female skaters compete individually. Men's singles and women's singles are governed by the International Skating Union (ISU). Figure skating is the oldest winter sport contested at the Olympics, with men's and women's single skating appearing as two of the four figure skating events at the London Games in 1908.

Single skaters are required to perform two segments in all international competitions, the short program and the free skating program. Nathan Chen from the United States holds both the highest single men's short program and free skating scores; Russian skater Kamila Valieva holds both the highest single women's short program and free skating scores. Compulsory figures, from which the sport of figure skating gets its name, were a crucial part of the sport for most of its history until the ISU voted to remove them in 1990.

Single skating has required elements that skaters must perform during a competition and that make up a well-balanced skating program. They include jumps (and jump combinations), spins, step sequences, and choreographic sequences. The ISU defines a jump element as "an individual jump, a jump combination or a jump sequence". The six most common jumps can be divided into two groups: toe jumps (the toe loop, the flip, and the Lutz) and edge jumps (the Salchow, the loop, and the Axel). A jump combination, defined as "two (or more) jumps performed in immediate succession". There are three basic positions in spins: the camel, the sit spin, and the upright spin. Step sequences have been defined as "steps and turns in a pattern on the ice". A choreographic sequence, which occurs during the free skating program in singles skating, "consists of any kind of movements like steps, turns, spirals, arabesques, spread eagles, Ina Bauers, hydroblading, any jumps with maximum of 2 revolutions, spins, etc.".

The required elements must be performed in specific ways, as described by published communications by the ISU, unless otherwise specified. The ISU publishes violations and their points values yearly. Deductions in singles skating include violations in time, music, and clothing. The ISU also describes regulations regarding falls and interruptions.

The first international figure skating competition was in Vienna in 1882. Skaters were required to perform 23 compulsory figures, as well as a four-minute free skating program, and a section called "special figures", in which they had to perform moves or combinations of moves that highlighted their advanced skills. The first World Championships, hosted by the newly formed International Skating Union (ISU), occurred in 1896 and consisted of four competitors, all men. The first woman to compete internationally in figure skating was Madge Syers from England, at the 1902 World Figure Skating Championships in London. There was no explicit rule against women competing; Syers came in second place, behind Ulrich Salchow from Sweden, who, according to legend, was so impressed by her skating that he gave his gold medal to her. The ISU responded by banning women from competing at Worlds, although they created a separate ladies' category in 1906. Women were referred to as ladies in ISU regulations and communications until the 2021–22 season.

Figure skating is the oldest winter sport contested at the Olympics, starting at the London Games in 1908. It is also one of the first sport that had a separate category for female competitors, and the only women's winter Olympic sport until 1936.

The short program is the first segment of single skating, pair skating, and synchronized skating in all ISU championships, the Olympic Winter Games, the Winter Youth Olympic Games, and for junior and senior level skaters, all ISU Grand Prix events and finals. The short program must be skated before the free skate, the second component in competitions. The short program lasts, for both senior and junior singles and pairs, two minutes and 40 seconds. It was introduced for the first time at the World Championships in 1973 and at the European Championships in 1974. Nathan Chen from the United States holds the highest single men's short program score of 113.97 points, which he earned at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Russian skater Kamila Valieva holds the highest single women's short program score of 90.45 points, which she earned at the 2022 European Figure Skating Championship in Tallinn, Estonia.

Men must perform seven elements in their short program, and must include a double or triple Axel jump, one triple or quadruple jump, a "jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump or two triple jumps or a quadruple jump and a double jump or a triple jump", one flying spin, camel spin or sit spin with just one change of foot, a spin combination with just one change of foot, and a step sequence using the entire ice surface. Women must perform six elements, and must include a double or triple Axel, one triple jump, a "jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump or two triple jumps", either a layback/sideways leaning spin or a sit or camel spin without a change of foot, a spin combination with just one change of foot, and a step sequence using the entire ice surface. Junior single skaters also have seven required elements, which can be performed in any sequence, and comprise three groups that last over three seasons. Quintuple jumps are not allowed in the short program.