Ladies:
If you think about how the last two worlds looked a little pale, this year is so amazing again! So many lovely ladies that I want to do well, it's really exciting. So for the predictions...
1.) Yuna Kim
She's the most likely to deliver clean or at least close to clean.
2.) Mao Asada
I don't think it would need Yuna to do several major mistakes for 4CC-Mao to overtake her. Her planned BV is over 12points higher than Yunas planned one, and even 4CC-BV tops Yunas with about 3 points. Yes, Yuna can make that difference up with +GOE, but then there's the question again how likely Yuna is to be completly clean in both SP and FS. With Mao's insane content I'm not even trying to believe she'll go clean, but 4CC + 3S instead of 2S should already give her pretty good chances to win.
3.) Carolina Kostner
Last season, she kept getting better and better with every competition, but this year, she skipped the grand prix. That's why I don't think she'll be mistakes-free here. If everyone is clean, Caro should win in PCS, and she has 7 triples planned in the FS. She might aswell win it, I just feel she might be the biggest question mark of the three.
4.) Akiko Suzuki
Simply because she rocks
5.) Adelina Sotnikova
This is probably a little optimistic... anyway, Adelina looked very determined to me at Euro's. I just don't want to believe it was a fluke. If she manages to skate like that again, 5th isn't out of reach for her at all.
6.) Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
Same as Adelina - althogh she's more likely to skate good, her PCS are really holding her down,
7.) Ashley Wagner
Yes, just in 7th. The major plus Ashley had at the GP was fight + making nearly no mistakes. But without a 3-3 nor even a 2A-3T she really is dependant on that. Since nats last year she had the momentum going for her, but I think her last two showings ended that streak somehow. I'm not too sure she can show off the same kind of confidence she had at the beginning of the season, or that even clean skates will give her the same marks as before (getting 66+ is probably not as likely with Yuna, Caro and a better Mao around).
8.) Kanako Murakami
I might even have her higher, if not for those UR's...
9.) Kaetlyn Osmond
Tough call here. She did good enough at 4CC for a newcomer in my opinion, and I still think she'll be a star in the future. For now, top10 is definitly doable. But she's hard to rank for me at this point.
10.) Zijun Li
I'd like to see her placing higher, but with her PCS that seems unlikely. Would still be a nice debut
Other possiblities: Gracie Gold and Elene Gedevanishvili. Both can score very well, both are prone to make mistakes. Hard to predict. (Though I really, really hope Elene comes roaring back after Euro's!)
Men:
Funny, despite the men being really strong this year, I'm more excited for the ladies... oh well
1.) Javier Fernandez
Would be fun. Has the best LP this season, had great skates at GPF and Euros and looks likely to continue like that. I think he'd be a nice world champion.
2.) Daisuke Takahashi
Okay, maybe a liiiiiittle bit of hope thrown in here. So what. Daisuke has his ups and downs quite often, but he more often than not delivers when it counts. And he needs to win in Sochi for my little fan-heart to be happy, so making the podium here will be a good starting point.
3.) Yuzuru Hanyu
He might even win, but the 4S is giving him a lot of trouble. If he delivers in the SP, he will very likely win that segment, but he's a little bit of a wild card in the LP.
4.) Patrick Chan
That was a very tough decision. It would be so weird to see Patrick off the podium, but maybe that way he will get a technical coach again. Though I'd like him to stay with Buttle, Nichol/Chan was getting old...
5.) Florent Amodio
Not too sure why myself. He did great at Euros, gets the Morozov-PCS and... because Euros was much better than 4CC this year (stupid argument, I know).
6.) Brian Joubert
Because you can never count him out!
7.) Ross Miner
I'm not a fan, but I think he'll recover from 4CC and is a way better combination between TES and PCS than most of the guys that are still to come.
8.) Kevin Reynolds
Probably not the most popular vote after 4CC. But all of his jumps are looking tight, and it seems like a tougher panel might slaughter his TES. I do like him and I'd be happy for him if he places better, but this field is really good and since it's his quads, and mainly those, that keep him competitive, I'm still a little cautious.
9.) Michal Brezina
Woah, now I've suprised myself. He can easily do so much better than that, but since he never skates even close to clean, I think a strong field like this might really leave him behind.
10.) Takahito Mura
Maybe I'm weird, but I think Mura is quite underscored in PCS. He's not the most artistic skater, but his SS are really good, his choreography is decent and he has a good feel for the music. But as things are, he probably doesn't have good chances to place that much better than this.
Other possibilities: Nan Song and Maxim Kovtun. I'd want both to make the top 10, to give their countries two spots for Sochi.
And there's Max Aaron, I know... saw him for the first time at 4CC. His jumps are nice, but I'm not that impressed. If you depend on your jumps and really just that, even small mistakes might leave you behind very far against some guys with good SS and actual choreo. And I'm not too sure how he'll handle that pressure.
