Worlds 2012 Ladies Predictions

[longingfornia]

1 Mao Asada
2 Carolina Kostner
3 Alissa Czisny
4 Akiko Suzuki
5 Ashley Wagner

Cheers

[Roxanne]

How do you know that Ashley will make it to Worlds?

[Nomad]

Same way longingfornia knows that Mao will win.

[Jenna]

This is bold.

Early favorites are definitely Kostner, Asada, and Suzuki. Maybe Czisny can spoil.

[longingfornia]

i hope Kostner wins but my gut tells me no. I hope Ash can make team as well
Cheers

[Nomad]

Nah. Gizmo will make a comeback and blow everyone out of the water with her voidy FS to selections by Philip Glass.

[l'etoile]

I think it's high time that Carolina holds the world title, she's got the right jump scale, uniqueness, and grace for it. I just hope she'd do that with at least one lutz and one flip in her long program

[Loves_Shizuka]

I just have a feeling this is Kostner's year.

[briancoogaert]

Well, my favorite skater is Carolina Kostner. But she was pretty clean in her Grand-Prix (at least, she didn't make more mistakes than usual), and she got 182 points. Akiko Suzuki and Mao Asada, less clean than usual, got 185 and 184.
I don't know what to think about that.

[jiggs]

Well, my favorite skater is Carolina Kostner. But she was pretty clean in her Grand-Prix (at least, she didn't make more mistakes than usual), and she got 182 points. Akiko Suzuki and Mao Asada, less clean than usual, got 185 and 184.
I don't know what to think about that.

Well that's because Carolina did easier triples. As the season progresses I am sure Carolina will put either 2a3t or 3f3t, plus a second 3flip or 3loop into her programs. If she manages to stay relatively clean including those elements, I am sure her scores will be right up there with Mao and Akiko. I am curious to see whether she will already do that next weekend at TEB or whether she will wait till the GPF. Apparently she did 3f3t and 2a3t in practice at COC.

Worlds will be very interesting as there are a lot of ladies who could deliver. It's really up to whoever skates clean that day.

I really hope Carolina can keep the momentum going and finally deliver at Worlds. She really deserves it, she has been through so much and deserves this title IMO.

[Amy03]

If there is anyone who deserves this title it would be no one else beside Mao Asada, she has shown such determination to improve and not being afraid of taking risk year after year, by never taking the easy rode like Kostner always does.. and by the time worlds will arrive Mao's technical content will be even harder with the 3A back and who ever knows what more she might put, one thing is for sure Mao herself said that she will level up... and if there is one person who I'm sure will deliever and work hard it's Mao.. and whether it's the technical content or artistically Mao is a miles over kostner, even a flawed Mao is much much better then a clean kostner... anyone with eyes would be able to see that!

but the season still only begun, which is why this discussion may be a bit to early to beginn!

[olympic]

1. Asada
2. Kostner
3. Suzuki
4. Czisny
5. Nagasu
6. Leonova

If Czisny makes progress on her ambitious jump layout, I'll put her on the podium ahead of Suzuki. If Nagasu sorts out her head, I'll even put her up there fighting for Gold with Asada and Kostner. Leonova will get politiked to a good position, maybe higher than 6th. That's a promise.

[l'etoile]

Well, my favorite skater is Carolina Kostner. But she was pretty clean in her Grand-Prix (at least, she didn't make more mistakes than usual), and she got 182 points. Akiko Suzuki and Mao Asada, less clean than usual, got 185 and 184.
I don't know what to think about that.

Jumping layouts of theirs are different as Jiggs mentioned, and you can't rule out the fact that Akiko and Mao was skating in their home ice with more polished performances than they usually did for the last couple of seasons. Plus, I've been told that it's not fair to compare scores between different the competitions which have different set of judges with different set of minds of giving out scores

[jiggs]

...and if there is one person who I'm sure will deliever and work hard it's Mao.. and whether it's the technical content or artistically Mao is a miles over kostner, even a flawed Mao is much much better then a clean kostner... anyone with eyes would be able to see that!

Well, I guess we just have to agree to disagree. Both are extremely talented skaters and have their unique qualities, technically and artistically. I don't think Mao is miles ahead of Carolina though and if they both deliver, it will be close. Same goes for Akiko.

[dariaparadise]

For Mao to win in every even year sounds about right -
like Michelle Kwan did win worlds '96, Olympic silver then worlds '98, not a good post-olympic year (though much better than Mao), then another win in '00 in Nice!

I do believe Carolina will take the silver. I do not believe two Japanese on the podium.

[AliasJohnDoe]

1.Asada
2.Czisny
3.Kostner
4.Suzuki
5.Nagasu/Wagner

[smarts1]

^ Lol with the Nagasu/Wagner.

[aftershocks]

My favorites would be: Alissa, Mao, Kostner, Suzuki, Ashley. However, it may look more like: Kostner, Mao, Alissa, Suzuki, Leonova, Makarova, Gedevanishvili, Ashley (fingers crossed that Ashley makes the Worlds team). I think Mirai needs to find herself and get music and programs she can be more excited by. She needs to love skating again.

While I love Alissa's gentle art and beautiful spirit, Carolina's quirky elegance and speed, Ashley's new found precision and joy in her programs, Mao's rebirth and Suzuki's redemption, I am disappointed by Alena Leonova's yucky Morosov remake, and by Mirai's seeming lack of growth and heaviness of spirit (it's evident Mirai’s been training hard and improving her jump technique, but she doesn’t seem truly invested in her programs).

Unfortunately, Makarova's, Korpi's, and Gedevanishvili's stunning beauty on the ice is just completely marred by their utter lack of consistency. FS audiences were spoiled by Michelle Kwan's legendary magic and consistency -- she left an amazing legacy, but why not try moving in a different direction ladies? Why not take a chance to be different? And I'm not talking dull, sloppy Leonova Pirates of the Caribbean different! Leonova's programs last season did seem to be stretching toward a more edgy take that was different and exciting, but she's taken two steps backward this season. I think Carolina and Alissa are trying to shore up consistency and express who they are on the ice, Suzuki is reveling in overcoming hardships, and Mao is smiling at rediscovering her inner butterfly, while Mirai to me seems to have been dragged into a direction that is antithetical to her free spirit.

Aside from some semblance of joy and breath of fresh air demonstrated by Suzuki, Mao, Alissa, Carolina, and Ashley in performing their programs, none of the ladies actually seem to be enjoying themselves.

When Worlds comes around, it seems to me that the U.S. doesn't have a great deal of political clout that might help edge their skates in the scoring. E.g., Alissa skated well enough to score higher at 2011 Worlds, while Kostner was helped in the scoring with her mistakes.

[Jarrett]

1. Flatt
2. Asada
3. Suzuki

[aftershocks]

^^ Maybe Flatt on top at U.S. Collegiate championships, Jarrett -- she's certainly never threatened to be top 3 at Worlds, much less threatened to contend for gold. Maybe you're being tongue-in-cheek, or else you are a huge fan of Rachael's.