Ilia Malinin 2026 Olympic Long Program Overview
Ilia Malinin is preparing his free skate for the 2026 Winter Olympics, with the long program expected to feature a high-density quad combination layout and a streamlined artistic component. The International Skating Union (ISU) has published updated technical regulations for 2025-26 that define base values for quads and restrict certain jump repetitions, which directly shapes Malinin's element selection. His current short program base value sits near 105 points, and the long program base value is projected above 195 points under the revised scale. Malinin's training camp data, shared with media partners, shows consistent quad Lutz and quad Flip landing rates above 70% in practice sessions. The 2026 Olympic figure skating schedule places the men's free skate on a dedicated night, with warm-up sessions timed by the ISU and the host venue technical committee. For detailed ISU technical regulations, see the official ISU communications page at https://www.isuresults.com.
Malinin's long program music and choreography have been finalized with his coaching team, focusing on a narrative arc that highlights jump intensity in the second half. The ISU Judging System awards components for skating skills, transitions, performance, composition, and interpretation, with each segment marked by a panel of specialists. Under the 2025-26 scale, the Program Component Scores are multiplied by a fixed factor for the free skate, and Malinin's historical PCS averages have ranged from 34 to 38 per segment. His coach has emphasized reducing step sequence deductions and maximizing edge quality to protect the base value from element calls. The Olympic qualifying pathway requires skaters to meet minimum technical element score thresholds at designated qualifying events, which the ISU publishes each season. Background on the ISU Judging System is available at https://www.isuresults.com/technical.
Scoring, Quad Layout, and Technical Requirements
Base Value and Element Breakdown
The 2026 Olympic long program base value for Malinin's planned layout includes a quad toe loop in combination, a quad Lutz, a quad Flip, and a quad Salchow, with a final triple Axel as the closing element. The ISU scale assigns specific base values to each jump type, with quads ranging from 9.5 to 12.5 points depending on the specific jump and combination status. A quad-triple combination adds a 10% bonus to the combination's base value, which increases the total base value by a measurable margin. Malinin's team has publicly stated that the long program will contain exactly seven jumping passes, with the remaining passes allocated to a triple Axel sequence and a triple loop combination. The GOE (Grade of Execution) scale ranges from -5 to +5, and positive GOE on quads can add 2 to 3 points per element when the full scale is applied. The ISU's official scale and base value tables are documented at https://www.isuresults.com/technical.
Deductions and Call Thresholds
Under the ISU rules, a fall on a jump deducts 1.0 point, and each step out or under-rotation reduces the base value by a percentage defined in the technical panel's call. The 2025-26 rules maintain a strict under-rotation threshold, where a jump called as under-rotated loses a percentage of its base value, and a fully downgraded quad loses the majority of its base value. Malinin's training