Ilia Malinin’s Seven Quad Jumps in Grand Prix Finals Infuriate Judges

The ISU Grand Prix Final in Grenoble, France, has concluded, leaving behind a wave of memorable impressions. Despite criticism over sparse attendance in the stands, the competition delivered plenty of thrilling moments. One of the standout highlights was the free skate performance by American skater Ilia Malinin.

Malinin, who has earned his reputation as one of the top figure skaters of his generation, set out to reinforce his title as the “Quad God.” His ambitious goal was to execute seven quadruple jumps, including six different types. Although the program was not flawless, the sheer audacity to attempt such a challenging feat showcased his extraordinary skill level and earned him well-deserved recognition.

Ilia Malinin could have easily secured victory with a routine program featuring four quadruple jumps, leaving his competitors far behind. However, it seemed the American skater found that approach far too mundane. Instead, he chose to deliver a performance that would captivate both himself and the audience. The anticipation of something extraordinary began the moment Malinin unexpectedly attempted a quadruple Axel—not as his opening element, but as the second jump, following a flawless flip.

What followed was a dazzling showcase of quadruple jumps, one after another. Two Lutzes, a loop, a toe loop, and a Salchow—Malinin aimed to fulfill his long-held dream of performing all six existing quads in a single program while attempting a “seven-quad” routine. Under current ISU rules, this arrangement is the only way to include seven quadruple jumps, as the regulations allow just one type of quad to be repeated.

This rule adjustment, introduced by the ISU to encourage skaters to master a broader range of jumps, has rarely been pushed to its limits. Few could have predicted that anyone would take on the challenge of performing such a comprehensive quad repertoire. Even now, Malinin’s boldness has its critics. While his program was undoubtedly groundbreaking, it wasn’t flawless. The most notable mistakes included a fall on the first Lutz and a questionable landing on the loop. However, judges scrutinized every detail of his performance, marking deductions wherever possible.

Despite these imperfections, Malinin’s performance was a historic moment that showcased the relentless pursuit of innovation in figure skating, setting a new benchmark for technical ambition in the sport.

The first-ever attempt in history to land seven quadruple jumps, including six distinct types in one program, fell short of the 300-point mark—world records were not even in question. Judges assigned under-rotation calls to every quad jump. To truly evaluate the fairness of such scoring, one would need to analyze each element in slow motion from multiple camera angles. It’s likely the judges had valid reasons for their decisions, but the issue lies deeper—in the intentions behind such judgments.

Malinin stands out as one of the very few figure skaters with the potential to resonate beyond the niche audience of his sport. He has a personal brand, a compelling narrative of challenging the system, and the advantage of being American—a factor that opens doors to a massive market. The more motivated he is to deliver electrifying performances like the one in Grenoble, the better it could be for the International Skating Union (ISU).

However, ISU doesn’t seem to share this perspective. They’ve resisted increasing the value of the quadruple Axel and assigned such low base values to quintuple jumps that skaters, including Malinin, see no incentive to attempt them. As skating analyst Jackie Wong explained in an interview, the ISU views jumps of this complexity as undesirable. By that logic, Malinin’s historic seven-quad program falls into the same category.

The judges sent him a clear message: if you want to impress with your audacity, every move must be executed so flawlessly that even the most meticulous technical panel cannot find fault. But where does one find the physical endurance to land seven quads in a single program, including the energy-intensive quadruple Axel? It seemed the Axel drained much of Malinin’s stamina, leaving him to complete the rest of the program on sheer determination. Yet, what determination it was! If only every skater could exhibit the kind of willpower Malinin displayed that day.

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