2017 World Figure Skating Championships: My Predictions

First, guess what??  This is my 100th blog post!!!  This is a crazy milestone; do I seriously talk that much??  Apparently.   Haha.  I am very humbled that many skating/sports fans want to read my posts, so I say Thank You to each and every reader out there for supporting my blog!!

There is a really amazing stat about my blog that I want to share.  It is very interesting to note where my readers come from.  On my all time statistics page, the readers have come from 150 different countries!!  Wow, Yuzu’s reach is truly worldwide!!!  That, or people also really like Johnny Gaudreau and Alexander Ovechkin too!!  Haha.  

Ok, onto Worlds!!

Each year I have done a World Championship Podium prediction post, and this year will be no different.

For 2015 Worlds I predicted the following podium result.  While I got all 3 names correct, sadly, the #1 and #2 positions were in reverse order.

1. Yuzu
2. Javi
3. Denis Ten

For 2016 Worlds I predicted the following podium result.  Again, while I got all 3 names correct, sadly the #1 and #2 were again reversed.  A few people laughed at me for predicting Boyang for Bronze but I was right on the money for that pick!

1. Yuzu
2. Javi
3. Boyang

One could also say that picking the top 3 is not that hard.  Sure, it doesn’t seem that hard to do but remember, ice is slippery and anything can happen!!  This year will even be a bit more challenging because there are so many variables that weren’t really as evident in previous years.  This year, technical risk is being rewarded over program packaging.  We have had new skaters emerge, and we haven’t seen all the top skaters at one single competition all together.

If you have read any of my previous year’s’ prediction posts, you will know that I usually do 2 lists.  A”what I want to happen” list and a “what I think will happen” list.

Here is my 2017 Worlds “what I want” result:

1. Yuzuru Hanyu – Must have Yuzu standing on the TOP of the podium!!
2. Shoma Uno – I wouldn’t mind Shoma in either 2nd or 3rd place (see Patrick explanation below).
3. Patrick Chan – I actually want Patrick to win SILVER but have put him in 3rd so that Yuzu can still go to Skate Canada next season.  I am not 100% sure of the “rule” that says World #1 and #2 cannot be assigned to the same Grand Prix event the following season – I still cannot find any official proof that this statement is correct or if it’s just rumour mill.
4. Boyang Jin – I just think Boyang is fun so I would like him to be successful
5. Nathan Chen – I would like Nathan to have more than just jumps in his program to move up on my list.  More style, not just a machine.
6. Javier Fernandez – He hasn’t shown anything “new” in terms of skills or choreography in my opinion so I have him down the list a bit.
7. Han Yan – If he could only stop head casing and gain some consistency he would move up my list a bit.  Beautiful skater, just drives me bananas when he falls apart.
8. Kevin Reynolds – since I have Patrick at 3, I want Kevin to make the top 10 so that Canada can get 3 spots for the Olympics!

Just as a quick reference, here are the placement ordinals that are required for 2 and 3 spots for the Olympics.

So, this year’s podium predictions are harder because now we have pure jumpers versus full package skaters and the way the scoring system is now, pure jumpers are being rewarded generously.  It can go either way.

So, here is my more realistic “what I think will happen” 2017 Worlds podium prediction.

1. GOLD:  Yuzuru Hanyu – Must have Yuzu standing on the TOP of the podium!!
2. SILVER:  Nathen Chen – His starting base value alone has him contending before he even hits the ice.  He has relatively good consistency on his jumps at present so I believe he will make the podium.
3. BRONZE:  Shoma Uno – last year I had Shoma in 5th place due to the log jam at the top. So, what has changed??  I think Shoma has quietly become a “game player”.  He is a guy who is able to put it all together when he needs to and is not afraid of the mountain he has to climb.  His shy persona is a bit misleading.  Don’t count him out or forget about him.  While Shoma’s practices are sometimes a disaster as he wipes up the ice all over the place, he seems to have the ability to forget it, and put a wonderful program on the ice when it counts.
4. Javier Fernandez – unless Javier is perfect in both SP and LP or Shoma goofs up, I don’t see him making the podium.  That is, unless the judges do some propping up for the defending World Champion.
5. Boyang Jin – I think Boyang has fallen a bit behind this year.  Doesn’t that sound ridiculous?  He is trying 5 quads, yes.  However, Boyang seems to have consistency problems this year.  I would love for him to beat Javi but I don’t think it will happen so I have slotted him 5th.
6. Patrick Chan – Patrick, Patrick, Patrick.  I would love to be able to move him higher on the list but he just hasn’t been able to put it all together yet.  He has the experience and the maturity.  I just hope for Patrick to have his comeback moment!!

While some may think I’m overly harsh on Javi, my reasoning for placing him lower on my lists is that Javi’s programs have simply never inspired me to say “wow”.  Even when Javi skates perfectly, his programs don’t excite me.  This is simply a matter of preference and personal opinion.  Sure, Javi and Yuzu share a training base, but I do not believe they are BFF’s. They have mutual respect for each other but at the end of the day, I believe Javi got better because of Yuzu, not the other way around.  Javi is a good skater, but not someone who inspires Yuzu to be great.

I don’t think Javi drives Yuzu or gives him the “edge” that he needs/craves.  Yuzu wants other skaters to skate their best and he admires skaters who push the sport as well.  When Yuzu sees the young guys doing new unbelievable things, it’s like pure gold for him.  It makes the sport fun for Yuzu and as we know, Yuzu loves new challenges!!

Nathan Chen’s technical abilities have had me saying “yikes” just because he is pushing the technical requirements forward so fast and furious!  On the other hand, Boyang has drawn me in through his personality on the ice.  Boing Boing has an awkward goofiness that is endearing and fun. Shoma is the quiet underdog that you have to keep your eye on at all times.  Patrick is home team and I want him to do well.

As for Yuzu, I think he finally has a true driver to get back to the top of the World podium again, plus he’s healthier this season.  Injuries aside, Yuzu is much more dangerous when he is chasing someone. When Yuzu saw Boyang break out last season, we suddenly saw Yuzu with a new fire in his eyes.  This fire drove him to 6 World records in a span of a month.

I think Brian probably has to hold Yuzu down at practice, since as far as we know, he is healthy and can practice quads for hours and hours.  Yuzu is back to excited again!  Not that he wasn’t before, but I think we are going to see a different re-energized Yuzu at Worlds!  Yuzu has been inspired to take it to the next level, and has an excuse to do it now!

Like Kurt Browning and David Pelletier said, this jumping craze will probably continue for a couple seasons, and then it will have a period where it levels out.  It’s the same as anything else, a pure upward trajectory forever is simply not possible.

So, only with 3 weeks to Worlds, let the competition begin!

Go Yuzu Go!!!  Doki Doki!!