KYOTO, Japan -- Alexei Yagudin can spin a hole into the ice or dance across it like Baryshnikov, mesmerizing his audience with a performance that's as much art as an opera.

But if figure skating's idea for a new scoring system looks anything like its demo video, he's going to need some serious air to grab a gold.

Delegates at the International Skating Union's congress got their first in-depth look Wednesday at the radical reform plan that would replace the traditional 6.0 scale with a points system. It's still a work in progress, but it brought to life what until now has only been a hard-to-grasp concept.

"There are so many details which have to be worked out,'' said Wolfgang Kunz of Germany. "In principle, it's fantastic. It's fascinating.''

The congress has voted to do more work on the project, and it could be tested at some competitions within the next two years. The congress would have to vote on it again in 2004 before it can be implemented for good.

But with skating's reputation still tainted by the pairs debacle at the Salt Lake City Olympics, the ISU knows it has to make a visible change immediately. The United States and Australia presented proposals they claim will eliminate judging shenanigans by modifying the current scoring system.

Either could be in place next season.

Both would keep the 6.0 scale, but would change the way scores are calculated. The Australian plan also would change the composition of the judging panel.

After hearing the presentations Wednesday, delegates took the afternoon off and were to have more discussion Thursday. Other matters were discussed in the morning, and the proposals weren't expected to be addressed until the afternoon.

"We can't always control the impetus for change. But we can control how we manage that change,'' said Phyllis Howard, president of the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

Delegates seemed to have few questions about the U.S. and Australian plans, reserving most for the ISU demonstration.

Unlike the current scoring system, where skaters begin with a 6.0 mark and deductions are taken, the ISU plan would start at zero and add points for completed elements. Every element would have a set points value.

Before a competition, skaters would submit a plan of their program. The elements -- jumps, spins, footwork -- and their values would be stored, and judges would then use a touch-pad computer to evaluate the quality of the moves.

There also is a complex formula to determine technical and presentation scores.

A computer would randomly select which judges' scores to use. Future gold medalists might have a three-digit score instead of a string of perfect 6.0s. That would allow for world records and personal bests.

Critics have said they fear the system could turn skating into a jumping contest, and that seemed to be the case in the demonstration. All quadruple jumps started with a higher value than the triple axel, and a quad toe loop's base level was more than three times greater than that of any spin.

"What's important for us is to keep the art and not make mathematics out of it,'' said Mona Adolfsen, a delegate from Norway. "I don't think Alexei Yagudin is concerned about making a world record in points.''

Others were concerned about the technology involved, both from a cost standpoint and for what it might do to a sport that combines both athletics and art.

Polish ice dancer Sylvia Nowak said she didn't think it was possible to come up with a value scale for ice dancing. There are moves in the discipline that can't be compared to a jump or a spin or even a footwork sequence, she said.

"We do have a fairly unique sport,'' agreed Peter Morrissey of Great Britain. "I just think perhaps the future shouldn't be quite so technology heavy.''

But all of those concerns are why the demonstration was given, said Peter Krick, part of the ISU committee that developed the scoring system. People need to give their input so the system can be improved and become a viable solution to the mess skating is in now.

"We all came here because we recognize this organization has to change,'' said David Dore, chair of the ISU's development commission. "Do we want to grab hold of the sport and move it forward? Or do we want to just sit and debate the minutiae?''