NHK Trophy: Predictions

[zartian]

Ladies

1. Miki Ando/ Yukari Nakano
2. Laura Lepisto
3. Ashley Wagner

 

[*Sniper*]

If this season has been any indication, it's that the predictions are hard.
Good luck to all the competitors.
Looking forward to another exciting and unpredictable weekend!!

 

[mishieru07]

This is probably going to be really off but anyway:

Mens
1) Daisuke Takahashi
2) Takahiko Kozuka
3) Jeremy Abbott

Ladies
1) Miki Ando :yes:
2) Yukari Nakano
3) Laura Lepisto

Dance
1) Davis/ White
2) Kerrs
3) Crone/ Poirier

Pairs
1) Pang/ Tong
2) Kawaguchi/ Smirnov
3) Inoue/ Baldwin

I think Dance is the easiest to predict (D/W will eclipse the field like at CoR) ... Men's is basically a toss up so I went with my favourites.

 

[roma]

Men
1. Takahashi
2. Kozuka
3. Rippon

Ladies
1. Ando
2. Nakano
3. Lepisto/Wagner

I don't follow pairs and ice dance much...

 

[sadalou]

Men:
1. Daisuke Takahashi
2. Jeremy Abbott
3. Takahiko Kozuka

Ladies:
1. Miki Ando
2. Yukari Nakano
3. Cynthia Phaneuf

Pairs:
1. Pang & Tong
2. Kavaguti & Smirnov
3. Inoue & Baldwin

Dance:
1. Davis & White
2. Kerr & Kerr
3. Crone & Poirier

 

[Medusa]

Pairs

1. Qing PANG / Jian TONG (CHN)
2. Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV (RUS)
3. Caydee DENNEY / Jeremy BARRETT (USA)
4. Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN (USA)
5. Mylene BRODEUR / John MATTATALL (CAN)

Men

1. Jeremy ABBOTT (USA)
2. Daisuke TAKAHASHI (JPN)
3. Takahiko KOZUKA (JPN)
4. Adam RIPPON (USA)
5. Brian JOUBERT (FRA)

Ladies

1. Miki ANDO (JPN)
2. Yukari NAKANO (JPN)
3. Ashley WAGNER (USA)
4. Sarah MEIER (SUI)
5. Alena LEONOVA (RUS)

Ice dancing

1. Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE (USA)
2. Sinead KERR / John KERR (GBR)
3. Vanessa CRONE / Paul POIRIER (CAN)
4. Cathy REED / Chris REED (JPN)
5. Anna ZADOROZHNIUK / Sergei VERBILLO (UKR)

Gotta change my banner for some favourites - unfortunately, so many of my favourites are here with Joubert, Abbott, Kozuka, Takahashi... And I got banners for all of them. I also love the puppies Brezina and Rippon. :think: Life is hard....

 

[Buttercup]

I'm kind of surprised so many people expect Takahashi to win. I mean, obviously he's an excellent skater who could win this event, but on the other hand - he is coming back from an awful injury, and was decidedly unspectacular in the LP at Finlandia, where the judges had to bail him out with the PCS. And even before the injury he had his ups and downs. I wouldn't be at all surprised if one of the other guys wins.

I really think the only sure thing at NHK is Davis/White (followed most likely by the Kerrs). I'm not even going to try and predict the rest of it.

 

[Hsuhs]

I also love the puppies Brezina and Abbott. :think: .

Puppy Rippon is missing!

I'm kind of surprised so many people expect Takahashi to win. I mean, obviously he's an excellent skater who could win this event, but on the other hand - he is coming back from an awful injury, and was decidedly unspectacular in the LP at Finlandia, where the judges had to bail him out with the PCS.

But maybe those who do that, expect the judges to bail him out with pcs again?

 

[Buttercup]

But maybe those who do that, expect the judges to bail him out with pcs again?

Maybe - but if Takahashi is in a situation where his TES is that low this weekend, I don't think a PCS assist from the judges will be enough. Unless NHK is a splatfest, I expect the winning score will be in the 230s-240s. I'm not saying he can't do it; just that I'm surprised everyone expects it of him considering all he's been through, and because he's kind of an unknown factor as a result.

In addition, Daisuke really had only Voronov to contend with at Finlandia (and Voronov won the LP) - this time it's the strongest GP field of the year. IMO, at least . I'm actually kind of surprised JSF put him in this situation for his first GP coming back. I'm not saying they should have watered down the field like the Russian Fed did for Plushenko, but really, why not help your guy out a bit?

Medusa, you should do a collage banner, didn't you have one last year with all your faves? It would be most appreciated - and aesthetically appealing as well!

 

[Medusa]

Puppy Rippon is missing!

I meant the Rippon-puppy! Abbott is no puppy any more. I also have a weakness for the Borodulin puppy.

Medusa, you should do a collage banner, didn't you have one last year with all your faves? It would be most appreciated - and aesthetically appealing as well!

Yeah, I had that for Worlds. I just don't find those aesthetically pleasing, way too crowded - but I'll probably do one for Euros with my favourite Euroboys, which means basically everyone , S/S, K/S, Dom/Shab and P/B. At the Olympics it will probably only be Stéphane though, only if he shows up, of course.

 

[Lucky Star]

In addition, Daisuke really had only Voronov to contend with at Finlandia (and Voronov won the LP) - this time it's the strongest GP field of the year. IMO, at least . I'm actually kind of surprised JSF put him in this situation for his first GP coming back. I'm not saying they should have watered down the field like the Russian Fed did for Plushenko, but really, why not help your guy out a bit?

Russian Fed did what? I thought it was Chan's decision not to compete... And Tretyakov replaced Lutai only because Andrei was in bad shape and wasn't good at the local competition when Tretyakov was 2nd at Nebelhorn Trophy

 

[Phoenix347]

Men:

1. Kozuka
2. Weir (just because)
3. Borodulin

Ladies:

1. Ando
2. Wagner (just because)
3. Lepisto

Pairs:

1. Pang/Tong
2. Kavaguti/Smirnov
3. Inoue/Baldwin

Dance (total guesses):

1. Davis/White
2. Kerr/Kerr
3. Bobrova/Soloviev

 

[wonderlen3000]

Actually it's a great start to get Takahashi back into the competitive stage. He needs to get pass the Japanese National before even have a chance of going to Olmypics. Al though I don't think he will have a problem finishing no lower than third and japan does have 3 spots in men.

He does have great PCS score, and if he just skate clean and don't attempt quad, i don't think he will have a problem getting on the podium. Quad is this stage will be too risky, as he needs to be fully recover before thinking about it.

 

[Hsuhs]

He does have great PCS score, and if he just skate clean and don't attempt quad, i don't think he will have a problem getting on the podium. Quad is this stage will be too risky, as he needs to be fully recover before thinking about it.

I think he's fully recovered at this point, he just missed some practice time due to the injury. I also think he doesn't need quads with this (NHK) field. He could simply max out what he already has. Quads can wait till GPF.

 

[SerpentineSteps]

I meant the Rippon-puppy! Abbott is no puppy any more. I also have a weakness for the Borodulin puppy.

No, I think you mean the Tiger-(Woods-)puppy.

 

[iriseyes]

Hmmm... let's see...

Men:

1. Daisuke Takahashi (lookin' good!)
2. Kozuka Takahiko (doesn't he pretty much always get the silver??!)
3. Brian Joubert (he's due for a good showing, but I won't put him over the home-town faves!)

Women:
1. Miki Ando (and she'll skate much cleaner than last time... I hope!)
2. Yukari Nakano (going with the Japan advantage again... fight for that Olympic spot)
3. Ashley Wagner (more happy reactions!)

Pairs:
1. Pang/Tong
2. Kavaguti/Smirnov
3. Brodeur/Mattata

Dance:
1. Davis/White
2. Kerr/Kerr
3. Crone/Poirer

 

[mishieru07]

This is probably going to be really off but anyway:

Mens
1) Daisuke Takahashi
2) Takahiko Kozuka
3) Jeremy Abbott

Ladies
1) Miki Ando :yes:
2) Yukari Nakano
3) Laura Lepisto

Dance
1) Davis/ White
2) Kerrs
3) Crone/ Poirier

Pairs
1) Pang/ Tong
2) Kawaguchi/ Smirnov
3) Inoue/ Baldwin

7 out of 12! I was totally off on the men!!!

 

[ordinary person]

1.Wagner
2.Lepisto
3.leonova