Judges score each competitor from 1.00 to 5.00. Your placement is not the sum of those scores. Each judge’s scores become that judge’s rankings, and your placement is set at the first Top N where more than half of the judges have you. This method is called Relative Placement.
Every judge scores differently. One judge’s 4.00 can mean the same as another judge’s 4.75. If the scores were simply added up, judges who score high would carry more weight. Turning scores into rankings gives every judge exactly one vote. The table below counts the same scores both ways.
| Bib | J1 | J2 | J3 | Total · avg | Total | Majority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 4.25#1 | 4.00#1 | 3.50#2 | 11.753.92 | 2 | 1Top 1 · 2/3 |
| 102 | 4.00#2 | 3.75#2 | 5.00#1 | 12.754.25 | 1 | 2Top 2 · 3/3 |
Bib 102 has the higher total and average, but two of the three judges ranked 101 higher, so 101 places 1st.
When a judge gives two competitors the same score, both get the better ranking. If the same score falls on 5th and 6th, both are 5th and the next competitor is 7th. Which of the two places higher is decided by the other judges’ scores. The table below is a real semi-final heat (four judges, majority of 3, eight competitors) with the bib numbers replaced by the letters A to H.
| Place | Name | J1 | J2 | J3 | J4 | Majority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | 5.00#1 | 4.00#4 | 4.75#1 | 4.50#2 | Top 2 · 3/4 |
| 2 | B | 4.50#3 | 4.25#2 | 3.50#6 | 4.50#2 | Top 3 · 3/4 |
| 3 | D | 4.75#2 | 4.00#4 | 3.75#4 | 4.00#4 | Top 4 · 4/4⚠ tie · judge count |
| 4 | E | 4.25#5 | 4.00#4 | 4.50#2 | 4.75#1 | Top 4 · 3/4⚠ tie · sum of rankings |
| 5 | C | 3.75#8 | 4.50#1 | 3.75#4 | 4.00#4 | Top 4 · 3/4⚠ tie · sum of rankings |
| 6 | F | 4.25#5 | 4.25#2 | 4.00#3 | 3.75#7 | Top 5 · 3/4 |
| 7 | G | 4.50#3 | 4.00#4 | 3.25#7 | 3.75#7 | Top 7 · 4/4 |
| 8 | H | 4.00#7 | 3.50#8 | 3.00#8 | 4.00#4 | Top 8 · 4/4 |
E has the second-highest average but places 4th. J3 and J4 ranked E 2nd and 1st, but J1 and J2 gave E the same score as other competitors, which made E 5th with J1 and 4th with J2. All four judges have D inside Top 4 and only three have E, so D takes 3rd first.
E and C each have three judges inside Top 4. In that case the rankings inside Top 4 are added up, and the lower sum places higher. E is 4+2+1 = 7 and C is 1+4+4 = 9, so E places 4th and C 5th. The average score was never used.
From the Preliminary to the Semi-Final, judges give scores. In the Final they enter rankings directly. The calculation after that is the same.
A majority is more than half of the judges: 2 of 3, or 3 of 5. Count your rankings from best to worst; the one at the majority position sets your placement. With a majority of 3, that is your third-best ranking. With four judges, each judge is 25% of the panel, so two judges giving the same score is enough to change a placement.
| Judges | Majority | One judge | Deciding ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 50% | 2nd-best ranking |
| 3 | 2 | 33.3% | 2nd-best ranking |
| 4 | 3 | 25% | 3rd-best ranking |
| 5 | 3 | 20% | 3rd-best ranking |
| 7 | 4 | 14.3% | 4th-best ranking |
In the Preliminary, Quarter-Final and Semi-Final, the majority is counted from the judges assigned to your role (Leader or Follower).
If two or more competitors reach a majority at the same Top N, the tie is broken in this order. Once a step separates them, the later steps are not used.
In the Final, judges rank competitors directly, so there are no equal scores. If a tie occurs, it is broken in the same order.
In the Preliminary, Quarter-Final and Semi-Final, only the judges assigned to your role score you. In the Final, every judge ranks every competitor directly. In a solo event with no Leader and Follower roles, every judge scores every round.