posted Jan 22nd, 2012 - The NSL News reported with the story on 12 July 2011 how Judy Celaya, one of the most experienced judges in the sport and Chief Judge at the USPA Nationals 2011, has been recommending a better application of available judging techniques for a while to improve the accuracy of scoring. She has been working as a judge with the CamScore system from the United Kingdom at the Shamrock Showdown events in the past years where slower viewing motion and different ways how to review competition videos for judging purposes was successfully applied and where hard evidence for the different methods was generated. Eventually, she succeeded in convincing the USPA Board of Directors to approve her proposed judging methods for the USPA Nationals last year.

"Judy Celaya made a presentation on how using the technology available can make judging faster and more accurate which resulted in the following motions: Move to waive SCM 5-1.11C, 9.1.11C & 4-1.14C at the 2011 Nationals to allow partial playback, slow motion, and multiple views to increase the quality and speed of judging. Chief Judge Judy Celaya will report back to the competition committee the results from Nationals.”

After the USPA Nationals 2011, Judy Celaya could report back to the competition committee only the same experiences that she had collected at the Shamrock Showdown in the previous years. Application of new technology and modernized judging procedures was even speeding up the process and produced more accurate results. Teams and competitors provided very positive feedback in and after Eloy 2011.

The USPA Board of Directors decided at the same time to prepare for the next step since the modernized judging procedures were only approved for the USPA Nationals. USPA's IPC Delegate was authorized to present the same procedures to the IPC for future application at World Championships and World Cups. The presentation would be based on the experiences at the USPA Nationals 2011.

“Move to direct The IPC Delegate to put forward a proposal to amend the IPC judging for FS, CF & VFS to allow partial playback, slow motion, and multiple views to increase the quality and speed of judging. Delegate will present Chief Judge Judy Celaya’s results from using these changes at the 2011 US Nationals for reference.”

The time for the next step has come now, as the IPC Delegates from all participating countries in the world prepare their travel to Argentina, host of this year's IPC Meeting on February 7 - 12. It's a critical point in time since the 4way teams have increased their performance and scoring level significantly since additional point deductions for infringements and slow-mo application were removed from the rules in 2003.

Officials and judges have to catch up with the athletes and find ways how to evaluate the performance as accurately as possible. A new modification of the judging rules and procedures seems to be overdue. The additional point deductions of the times before 2003 would do the job, as the teams would not be able to move on and forward ignoring any potential infringements. They would be forced to pay more attention to the correct execution of the rules.

However, this solution and the return to additional penalties is not very popular, even though penalties are very normal and common in any other sports. Therefore, at least the application of modern judging technology, including slower review motion, has proven to be successful as of getting closer to the scoring truth, and the agenda for the meeting has confirmed this:

“Judging process: Feedback from the FS meeting suggested again that the Committee looked at reduced speed judging. USPA introduced the use of slow motion and multiple viewings at their Nationals this year. Judy will send us a detailed report but regarding to Eric Heinsheimer the method used to judge worked very nicely. They had 3 panels and 60 4-way teams, and scores were posted for each round prior to most teams going up for their next jump.”

IPC Judging Procedure
What's the best way for the near future?	Application of slower review motion Bring back additional point deductions Don't change anything
	Current Results

Eric Heinsheimer has also been judging side by side with Judy Celaya at the Shamrock Showdown and then again at the USPA Nationals 2011. He will be back as a judge for the Shamrock Showdown 2012.

The IPC Meeting functions similarly compared to USPA and other federations. Committees with expert members prepare proposals, which are then usually approved by the General Assembly. Trude Sviggum is currently the Chair of the IPC Formation Skydiving Committee, and she supports the rule change. She knows the sport very well as a current member of the Norwegian national 4way team in the female category, Polaris, and she also won silver medals for Norway at the World Meet 2003 in Gap, France.

She has other experienced competitors in her committee. Philippe Schorno from France is a 3-time 4way world champion in the 80s and 90s. Eric Heinsheimer still owns the 8way world record for a single round and the highest average that the Golden Knights posted at the World Meet 1997 in Turkey. Sven Ibens was an original Hayabusa member and still trains and competes with Thunder. Jeremie Rollett is a reigning Aerodyne Aerokart 4way world champion and the national manager of the French Formation Skydiving teams. Rainer "Exi" Hoenle from Germany, Sara Sacchet from Italy and Mark Szulmayer from Australia complete the committee's lineup. The NSL News will follow up with the results of the meeting.