The teenage male super talents – who will dominate post Sochi?

[spikydurian]

They are all 19 and below (but no less than 15), and have shown great talent and potential to dominate in the coming years, let’s say maybe top contenders in 2018 Olympics . I am curious who will prevail and be easily regarded the ‘men to beat’ in the future. We know Yuzuru Hanyu is already ‘there’ and is the currently ‘the teenager to beat’ among this group of talents.

Who do you think will or can rise to the occasion to challenge Yuzuru Hanyu for the throne? And why do you think so?

Here are the few talents and potential youngsters whom many are raving about who may have a chance to challenge Hanyu. Feel free to add any names which I have omitted.

Jason Brown
Josh Farris
Han Yan
Keiji Tanaka
Maxim Kovtun

[misskarne]

Here are the few talents and potential youngsters whom many are raving about who may have a chance to challenge Hanyu. Feel free to add any names which I have omitted.

*coughs quietly*

Artur Gachinski is just nineteen, and has a better Senior record than anyone on your list. Much as I am partial to three of the five on your list, Artur is still above them all.

[circuscandy]

I definitely did not misread the title as 'The teenage mutant super talents.'

[misskarne]

I definitely did not misread the title as 'The teenage mutant super talents.'

Maybe we should assign colours to each of them!

Purple Turtle can be Artur
Light Blue can be Jason
Dark Blue can be Josh
Silver can be Maxim
Black can be Han
Green can be Keiji
And Red can be Yuzuru!

[lala]

Hanyu is supertalent, but he has problem with his stamina!! He can skate badly. I think Han Yan will be his biggest rival.

[morqet]

Kovtun probably has the strongest jumps, but at the moment his programs are nothing special and he sometimes doesn't even seem to notice there's music playing... I think Han Yan has the most potential to be the complete package, he's a beautiful skater and is capable of producing really excellent jumps, but he needs to become more consistant.

Much as I like Jason Brown's skating, he'll struggle to make it out of US Nationals, let alone make an impact on the senior international scene if he can't resolve his problems with the 3A.

[pinky166]

Don't forget Ryuji Hino! He is a really talented jumper!

From the list I'd say Yan, Farris, and Kovtun have the best odds. All of them need better choreography first though. I admire that Farris does a lot of his own choreo and while it's good for an 18 year old, he could really benefit from going to someone like Wilson and getting programs that are less white bread. It's pretty much the same deal with the other two as well, hough I feel at least Farris tries to connect with his music at least while with Yan and Kovtun I sometimes wonder. Tanaka and Brown have a lot of artistic ability already but jumps is more the issue for them, if they can get the hard ones more consistent then they also have a lot of potential.

[Vagabond]

*coughs quietly*

Bless you.

[robinhood]

*coughs quietly*

Artur Gachinski is just nineteen, and has a better Senior record than anyone on your list. Much as I am partial to three of the five on your list, Artur is still above them all.

I agree, though I am not sure Artur could beat any of them right now

[briancoogaert]

Yuzuru Hanyu is so young. He will be the next big thing.
I agree that he has a problem with stamina, but Takahashi had meltdowns when he was youn, then he has controled it quite well.
I also like Joshua Farris and hope he'll do well.

[judgejudy27]

Gaschinski was a flash in the pan. I dont see him doing anything big in the future. Hanyu will dominate post Sochi most likely.

[mag]

I would like to add Mitchell Gordon to the list. He is new, but at 16 he already has a beautiful 3A. This will be his first Jr. Worlds. I don't see him making a big splash, but more of a stealthly assent up the ladder. My vote says he will be in the mix for the podium in 2018.

[euterpe]

Then there are the REALLY young ones: Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou

[Zemgirl]

There are too many unknowns to say. Back in 2009, Adam Rippon, Michal Brezina and Denis Ten seemed to have a lot of promise, and where are they now? Michal did just win that Euros bronze, but all three are so inconsistent.

Four years ago, I did expect Yuzuru Hanyu to be very successful post-Sochi - the way pre-Sochi thing came as a surprise. You never know how rapidly a skater will improve (or, in some unfortunate cases, implode), and not everyone makes a splash early on. Takahashi took years even though he was a JW champion. Joubert never did anything as a junior; 2002 Euros was his first medal at an international event at any level. Javier Fernandez was horrible early in his career, didn't even make it out of the SP at his first Euros and Worlds and was regularly outside the top 10 at JGPs. Maybe the next superstar is someone we've never heard of, or at least, someone few of us have heard of.

[spikydurian]

*coughs quietly*

Flu season is coming. Must be the cold in Canberra

Artur Gachinski is just nineteen, and has a better Senior record than anyone on your list. Much as I am partial to three of the five on your list, Artur is still above them all.

I forgot about him! He has not been skating well but I agree if he's on, he can challenge post Sochi.

Maybe the next superstar is someone we've never heard of, or at least, someone few of us have heard of.

Agree. Though I am interested whether this 'group of talents' can make a breakthrough in the seniors and continue their upward trajectory based on their current skills. Certainly inherent capability and opportunity to get the best coaches/choreographers will help.

[caseyedwards]

I agree, though I am not sure Artur could beat any of them right now

Except kovtun lol wink!!

[Proustable]

I definitely did not misread the title as 'The teenage mutant super talents.'

LMAO

[skatesindreams]

Then there are the REALLY young ones: Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou

Those are the two that really interest me.
I hope they have a smooth transition into the Senior ranks; so that we can watch them develop over several years. and achieve their maximum potential.

[johndockley92]

least likely is Tanaka. I love them all though!

[pinky166]

Tanaka is so good though! He's just a headcase at this point. When he's on he's really quite impressive!