Judging criteria – Shortboard

So… what are the judges actually looking for?

For shortboarding, judges follow the ISA Rulebook. That includes:

• Commitment & difficulty – Did you go all in on that section?
• Progression & innovation – Are you pushing things or playing it safe?
• Big manoeuvres (and linking them together) – One turn is good… combos are better
• Variety – Mixing it up keeps things interesting
• Speed, power & flow – The magic combo that makes everything look effortless

The key thing to remember? It’s all relative to the conditions.
Punchy beach break? Judges might reward power and critical turns.
Small or tricky surf? Flow, creativity, and wave selection can really stand out.

What do the scores mean?

• 0.1 – 1.9 → Poor
• 2.0 – 3.9 → Fair
• 4.0 – 5.9 → Average
• 6.0 – 7.9 → Good
• 8.0 – 10.0 → Excellent