Predictions

[prettykeys]

Kanako Murakami got a lot of underrotation calls last competition...

 

[Spun Silver]

The ladies' field is not very deep. I would love it if Murakami could sneak in for a medal. She seemed very upset after her FS at NHK. Hopefully she'll do better here.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Three of the four GP medalists so far are here. That's deeper than most GPFs.

 

[Spun Silver]

Well, compared to the men's, ladies' looks like a snooze, IMO. Unless Murakami surprises.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Well, compared to the men's, ladies' looks like a snooze, IMO. Unless Murakami surprises.

Oh, the men's event is sick.

 

[iriseyes]

1. Chan
2. Rippon
3. Song
4./5. Oda/Brezina

Why? To help Kozuka to the finals
(Methinks I abuse the predictions thread...)

 

[draqq]

1. Chan
2. Brezina
3. Oda

1. Kostner
2. Czisny
3. Tuktamysheva

1. Virtue / Moir
2. Pechalat / Bourzat
3. Ilinykh / Katsalapov

1. Volosozhar / Trankov
2. Bazarova / Larionov
3. Duhamel / Radford

 

[pangtongfan]

1. Chan
2. Brezina
3. Oda or Rippon

Hopefully Oda's point total does not put him into the GPF over Kozuka who is flat out a better skater now IMO.

1. Kostner
2. Czisny
3. Tuktamysheva

1. Virtue & Moir
2. Pechalat & Bourzat
3. Cappelini & Lanotte

1. Volosozhar & Trankov
2. Bazarova & Larionov
3. Duhamel & Radford

 

[blue_idealist]

MEN

1) Chan, obviously.

2) Oda

3) Joubert (this might be wishful thinking).

I almost picked Brezina for 3rd, because he won SA, but he did win it with a sloppy skate. That was a poorly skated men's competition.

EDIT: I see Joubert has withdrawn. I'll go with Brezina for 3rd. If not him, then Rippon.

LADIES

1) Kostner - but it'll be a close one.

2) Tuktamysheva

3) Csizny

Helgesson could take the 3rd spot if Csizny falters, and Murakami's a threat for the podium too but she didn't skate well at her last comp.

PAIRS

1) Volosozhar/Trankov - I think this one is obvious.

2) Duhamel/Radford

3) Bazarova/Larionov

DANCE

1) Virtue/Moir - also obvious

2) Pechalat/Bourzat

3) Cappellini/Lanotte - better programs this season than Ilinykh/Katsalapov

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Dance
1. Virtue/Moir: But by how much? What score do they post? The B. Eurosport guys basically said it at SC - how does their score compare to what D/W earned/will earn?
2. Pechelat/Bourzat: I get bronchitis regularly, and it generally takes me a week to truly recover, provided I have the right medication. How much time did P/B lose?
3. Cappellinni/Lannotte: Can they close the gap between them and P/B? Do they get the levels? Their FD isn't a great COP-dance (though it is great)
4. Ilynikh/Katsalpov: Not great at getting the levels in general, not a lot of time to train from their last event.
5. Chock/Bates: How much do they grow?

Pairs
1. Volosozhar/Trankov: Strike while the iron is hot - they can enter the GPF as the number one team with some major momentum
2. Duhamel/Radford: Gut feeling. High base value elements should keep them in the running even with some errors.
3. Bazarova/Larionov: Something's off this season, imo. If clean, they'll be second.
4. Stolbova/Klimov: I really like them.
5. Evora/Ladwig: Ditto

Ladies
1. Carolina Kostner: Less pressure and more technical capability
2. Alissa Czisny: She'll be pushing herself even harder to prove that SA wasn't a fluke
3. Eliza Tuktamisheva: Hmmm..... Should probably be higher, but I think going up against some stronger skaters will make her look slightly lesser.
4. Viktoria Helgesson: Can get some great levels.
5. Mae Berenice Meite: Can jump.

Men
1. Patrick Chan: You've gotta assume that the rest of the men will be emboldened by the 1-2 punch of Javier Fernandez' close score and Dai's top score, but you can't assume that Chan will shirk from a challenge.
2. Michel Brezina: Kid's got some cajones, and he wants to prove that SA was no fluke. He will be going for those quads.
3. Nobunari Oda: If he makes to the podium, he could be GPF bound, which would make things interesting indeed. But 3-7 is basically a crapshoot.
4. Florent Amodio: He'll be hungry.
5. Adam Rippon: As long as he doesn't approach is 3A as if he's a scared puppy.
6. Nan Song: Why not?
7. Kevin Reynolds: He really should consider doing two 4S (one in combination) along with the 4T if he's gonna try for the 4Lo. I'm very curious to see what he pulls out on the ice.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Men
1. Patrick Chan: You've gotta assume that the rest of the men will be emboldened by the 1-2 punch of Javier Fernandez' close score and Dai's top score, but you can't assume that Chan will shirk from a challenge.
2. Michel Brezina: Kid's got some cajones, and he wants to prove that SA was no fluke. He will be going for those quads.
3. Nobunari Oda: If he makes to the podium, he could be GPF bound, which would make things interesting indeed. But 3-7 is basically a crapshoot.
4. Florent Amodio: He'll be hungry.
5. Adam Rippon: As long as he doesn't approach is 3A as if he's a scared puppy.
6. Nan Song: Why not?
7. Kevin Reynolds: He really should consider doing two 4S (one in combination) along with the 4T if he's gonna try for the 4Lo. I'm very curious to see what he pulls out on the ice.

1. Chan will likely improve substantially since SC. There has been more focused training to make up for the lack of summer training and TEB is familiar without home crowd pressure. Hopefully he has also used up the season's quota of jump entry stumbles. He is not one to repeat same errors.

2. I have no doubts about Brezina's quads because they are his opening jumps. It's the lesser jumps later in the program that are problematic.

3. I don't see 3-7 as a crapshoot. Oda is a lot more capable than the rest and already has a silver over them. He too is competing against himself, his biggest nemesis.

4. Hungry is not enough. Amodio already received more than he deserved with that crappy program. Maybe a little hunger and home ice advantage would get him decent scores, but still....

5. Rippon approached most of his jumps like a scared puppy at SC. Let's see if he has recieved a Courage award from the Wizzard since then.

6. If Song handles his pressure and performs, he may place a few notches higher.

7. I think Kevin is going for broke for another Guiness record instead of a medal. That would be his way to make his mark. I wish him steady legs and best of luck.

 

[sequinsgalore]

My predictions

Men
1. Patrick Chan
2. Nobunari Oda
3. Michal Brezina
4. Florent Amodio
5. Adam Rippon

Ladies
1. Carolina Kostner
2. Elizaveta Tuktamisheva
3. Alissa Czisny
4. Kanako Murakami
5. Viktoria Helgesson

Pairs
1. Volosozhar/Trankov
2. Duhamel/Radford
3. Bazarova/Larionov
4. Evora/Ladwig
5. Stolbova/Klimov

Ice Dance
1. Virtue/Moir
2. Pechalat/Bourzat
3. Cappellini/Lanotte
4. Ilinykh/Katsalapov
5. Chock/Bates

 

[ordinary person]

Ladies
1. Carolina Kostner
2. Alissa Czisny
3. Elizaveta Tuktamisheva

I'm surprised most people don't expect Eliza to win, even though i still believe either Carolina or Alissa will win considering Eliza is not experienced or mature enough.