2013 Ladies World Podium

[cbd1235]

1. I havent seen her do a perfect competition since the 2010 Grand Prix final. In fact I cant think of a competition she had less than 2 visible mistakes since then.

2. Even if she did a perfect competition that is unlikely to matter as far as her winning a medal when you have Kim, Asada, Kostner, 2 Russian skaters, Wagner, all probably ahead of her in odds at this point, and arguably Murakami, Gold, Korpi, and Osmond not even far behind her either, hence the very low # of votes for her. The first 3 especialy would really need to drop some bombs on the ice to place below her at this point, just look at NHK between her and Mao this year. Especialy when the entire Japanese fed. support will be behind Mao.

I promise I'm not picking on you!!!!! But Akiko only made 1 mistake total in the most recent Four Continents competition. I consider her to be pretty consistent the past couple seasons. It is rare for any skater to not make a single mistake across the span of a competition. How many ladies can you count this season and last who put out a flawless (no step outs, no two foots, no pops, no falls) competition? I'm going to say probably just a couple.

[babayaga]

I promise I'm not picking on you!!!!! But Akiko only made 1 mistake total in the most recent Four Continents competition. I consider her to be pretty consistent the past couple seasons. It is rare for any skater to not make a single mistake across the span of a competition. How many ladies can you count this season and last who put out a flawless (no step outs, no two foots, no pops, no falls) competition? I'm going to say probably just a couple.

It's an interesting question - I cannot think of anyone at all At least among the top contenders.

[robinhood]

The most consistent skaters are the juniors. Julia Lipnitskaia last season, and Sotnikova in the past one never put a foot wrong in the whole season.
Once in seniors, with COP, where you cannot water down programs and expectations of the federations i consider pretty hard to be foot perfect.
Akiko is one of the most consistent skaters, if not the most, these past 2 seasons. And she usually rotates 5-6 triples every program

[judgejudy27]

She is usually more consistent than most, however she is almost never perfect, and given the much lower scoring potential she has compared to many others she has to be perfect to capatilize on any of their mistakes. She also hasnt been as consistent this season, bombing atleast 2 competitions, and doing poorly in one program in all but her last. Lets just say I will be very surprised if Suzuki is on the World podium this year and even if she skates perfectly (hugely unlikely IMO) I would still expect her to miss the podium, and finish behind some skaters who make mistakes as well. Last two years were her opening, the field is tougher now, and with Mao in business she will never get Japanese number 1 backing again.

[cbd1235]

She is usually more consistent than most, however she is almost never perfect, and given the much lower scoring potential she has compared to many others she has to be perfect to capatilize on any of their mistakes. She also hasnt been as consistent this season, bombing atleast 2 competitions, and doing poorly in one program in all but her last. Lets just say I will be very surprised if Suzuki is on the World podium this year and even if she skates perfectly (hugely unlikely IMO) I would still expect her to miss the podium, and finish behind some skaters who make mistakes as well. Last two years were her opening, the field is tougher now, and with Mao in business she will never get Japanese number 1 backing again.

I'd be very surprised to see her on the podium in this deep field aswell, I just don't like your argument since she is consistent.

This "Japanese Backing" politics garbage really has to go though. This does not exist, skating is a sport, politics don't play that much of a part. She is scored fairly, as is Mao, as is every other skater in the world level competitions. Her PC's are fair, there are no politics pulling her down...and there are no politics bumping Mao up. She is also scored fairly.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Akiko's biggest problem is being majorly underscored in PCS, consistently.

[shine]

I'd be very surprised to see her on the podium in this deep field aswell, I just don't like your argument since she is consistent.

This "Japanese Backing" politics garbage really has to go though. This does not exist, skating is a sport, politics don't play that much of a part. She is scored fairly, as is Mao, as is every other skater in the world level competitions. Her PC's are fair, there are no politics pulling her down...and there are no politics bumping Mao up. She is also scored fairly.

Was this post meant to be serious or? I really can't tell...

[cbd1235]

Was this post meant to be serious or? I really can't tell...

Sorry yeah I'm serious ahah.

FSU almost has this obsession that results are controlled by underground skating politic organizing rings. It's a little ridiculous, like some big conspiracy theory that everyone buys into and accepts as the truth.

[apatinar]

how did Korpi even make this list?

[Skater91]

I predict worlds to end up like this....

1. Yuna Kim
2. Mao Asada
3. Carolina Kostner
4. Akiko Suzuki
5. Elizaveta Tuktamisheva
6. Ashley Wagner
7. Kanako Murakami
8. Adelina Sotnikova
9. Kiira Korpi
10. Valentina Marchei
11. Gracie Gold
12. Zijun Li
13. Kaetlyn Osmond

(From here down they could go either way, they are unpredictable but this is my best guess!)

14. Viktoria Helgesson
15. Kexin Zhang
16. Mae Berenice Meite
17. Elene Gedevanisvili
18. Sonia Lafuente
19. Nathalie Weinzierl
20. Elena Glebova
21. Jenna McCorkell

[pinky166]

Mao, Yuna, and then I'm not sure for bronze but I think it's between Carolina, Liza, and Akiko, maybe Ashley. My money is on Liza to sneak away with bronze though.

[judgejudy27]

This "Japanese Backing" politics garbage really has to go though. This does not exist, skating is a sport, politics don't play that much of a part. She is scored fairly, as is Mao

NHK 2012. The end.

[Proustable]

how did Korpi even make this list?

She's going for seven triples in the long and will score 30/60 PCS if clean. She's not a strong contender, and her injury means she's definitely a question mark, but I definitely wouldn't underestimate her. If Li or Gold can be on this list (two skaters that she has beaten this season) than I don't see what's wrong with Korpi on it.

[Jammers]

She's going for seven triples in the long and will score 30/60 PCS if clean. She's not a strong contender, and her injury means she's definitely a question mark, but I definitely wouldn't underestimate her. If Li or Gold can be on this list (two skaters that she has beaten this season) than I don't see what's wrong with Korpi on it.

If Gracie hadn't skated a sloppy LP at COR she would have beaten Korpi by more then a few points.

[Proustable]

If Gracie hadn't skated a sloppy LP at COR she would have beaten Korpi by more then a few points.

And if ice wasn't slippery......

[lauravvv]

Akiko's biggest problem is being majorly underscored in PCS, consistently.

I wonder about that - is she really that much underscored? As for skating skills - yes, her speed is one of the best, definitely better than Asada's, but she seems to have a lot of two-footed skating compared to Mao, especially in the FS. She also consistently fails to get level 4 on her step sequences - could it be that her speed is the reason, or it's another problem? Mao also has better posture, lines and overall grace, although Akiko is definitely not bad either. As for interpretation and choreography, I would agree that she should get similar marks to Mao there. I am not an expert when it comes to transitions, though.

[olympic]

I'm loving the poll above - Yu Na, Mao, Carolina. Let Ashley continue the game of low expectations

[sonya71]

Based on Best Season's Scores:

1. Mao 205.65 (4CC)
2. Carolina 203.33 (ICC + Euros)
3. Yuna 201.61 (NRWT)
4. Adelina 193.99 (Euros)
5. Ashley 193.98 (GPF + TEB)

I think it will be:

1. Mao
2. Yuna
3. Carolina
4. Adelina
5. Ashley

because Carolina's best score is combined from two different competitions (as is Ashley's) and while none of the skaters can be expected to be note-perfect, Carolina has a proven track record of being more inconsistent than Mao or Yuna.

[Tanja90]

Based on Best Season's Scores:

1. Mao 205.65 (4CC)
2. Carolina 203.33 (ICC + Euros)
3. Yuna 201.61 (NRWT)
4. Adelina 193.99 (Euros)
5. Ashley 193.98 (GPF + TEB)

I think it will be:

1. Mao
2. Yuna
3. Carolina
4. Adelina
5. Ashley

because Carolina's best score is combined from two different competitions (as is Ashley's) and while none of the skaters can be expected to be note-perfect, Carolina has a proven track record of being more inconsistent than Mao or Yuna.

Why is everybody thinking that carolina is more inconsistent than yuna and mao?
I mean, yes she was really inconsistent in the past but since worlds 2010 she has never been out of the podium and last year she never finished less than second!
She turned into a different skater since Vancouver. The old carolina would have failed in Nice last year knowing it was her best chance to win the title...and would have failed in other multiple occasions like the grand prix final in Quebec or this years europeans...
We cannot say the same thing about mao who had two hard seasons and she is coming back on track only lately but still she has issues with underrotations...or yuna who has been away from competition for more than a year and the two competitions she had since worlds 2011 were on a poor fields.
I am not saying that for sure carolina will skate a clean program in London but these three have the same chances of doing great!
And if they skate clean the podium will be between them! no way that another skater can rival them if thay skate well!

[rosewood]

My prediction is
1. Mao
2. Carolina
3. Adelina
4. Akiko
5. Liza
6. Yuna
7. Ashley

3.4.5. are difficult to predict.