Helsinki Hopefuls: 2017 World Figure Skating Predictions Part 1 (Ladies/Pairs)

The ISU 2017 World Figure Skating Championships are upon us!!!

Who’s ready for it???

I’ll start by linking you to the broadcast schedule, which includes times for IceNetwork, NBC, and NBC SN…

And then I’ll offer the following disclaimer for my predictions (which start below with the Ladies and Pairs): I’m operating this “heavy machinery” (the computer) while medicated… picked up my son’s wicked cold over the weekend and now need drugs to keep my body temp under three digits (Fahrenheit). So if/when any of these guesses start to go waaay south, I’m going to claim delirium. You heard it here first! (Or DID you…??)

WORLD LADIES PREDICTIONS

Last year’s top 10, in order: Mevedeva, Wagner, Pogorilaya, Gold, Miyahara, Radionova, Asada, Hongo, Daleman, Nagasu

(As the crossouts indicate, half the women from that Top 10 will not be at Worlds this year)

So who will be in this year’s top 10? Here are my guesses:

GOLD: Medvedeva (RUS)… because she’s damn near unbeatable right now, even if I will once again cringe during her 9/11 free skate.

SILVER: Pogorilaya (RUS)… because she finally realized how good she could be at Worlds 2016, and she keeps on improving.

BRONZE: Wagner (USA)… not because her skating is no longer the quality that got her silver last year, but because Pogo improved that much (though I’ll take Ashley’s programs over Anna’s ANYTIME).

4^th: Higuchi (JPN)… just a feeling I have.

5^th: Kostner (ITA)… she’s baa-aack, and she’s looking very good. I expect her artistic scores to carry her where her technical scores can’t.

6^th: Sotskova (RUS)… she’s not quite “soup” yet, as they say, but she’s got consistent jumps and good lines.

7^th: Mihara (JPN)… because she’s got the goods, at least most of the time.

8^th: Osmond (CAN)… whew! She’s here, and she’s healthy! The quality of her skating isn’t what is was at the start of the season, but I love her power and flair (not to mention both her programs this year), and really want to see her up in the top 10. Or better.

9^th: Chen (USA)… because it sounds like her “boot issues” from 4CC are behind her, and a placement like this will comfortably give us the coveted “three spots” we need for next year.

10^th: Daleman (CAN)… because Canada deserves to have two women in the top 10 this year. Them women are FIERCE.

Who’d I miss? Choi Da-Bin (S.KOR), Laurine Lecavelier (FRA), Rika Hongo (JPN), and of course Mariah Bell (USA) all could make a run for the top 10.

WORLD PAIRS PREDICTIONS

LAST YEAR’S TOP 10, IN ORDER: Duhamel/Radford, Sui/Han, Savchenko/Massot, Stolbova/Klimov, Tarasova/Morozov, Volosohzar/Trankov, Iliushechkina/Moscovitch, Moore-Towers/Marinaro, Scimeca/Knierim, James/Cipres

(The cross-outs indicate 2 of the 10 will not be at Worlds this year.)

This year’s top 10 as I see it?

GOLD: Sui/Han (CHN)… because they are as good (or probably better) than last year, when they won silver... and I can’t say the same right now about the reigning World Champs.

SILVER: Tarasova/Morozov (RUS)… their SP is dynamite; their FS, not so much (to me, at least)… but the judges have seen them very favorably all season.

BRONZE: Savchenko/Massot (GER)… because this relatively “new” team looks better and better, but they’re still capable of any variety of weird moments that might make the difference between silver and bronze.

4^th: Duhamel/Radford (CAN): OH NO I DIDN’T! Yeah, I’m afraid I did… my prediction is that they will cap off a lackluster (for them) season with a podium miss. Sorry.

5^th Stolbova/Klimov (RUS): I’m sorry, what programs are they skating again this year?

6^th: James/Cipres (FRA): Wait, I can answer that last question for these two… Earned It (SP) and Disturbed’s version of Sound of Silence. I actually think they could place even higher, but their scores don’t always seem to match their caliber (grrr).

7^th: Zabiiako/Enbert (RUS): Because the Cry Me a River pair could very well put all three Russian pairs in the top 10 (a feat they’re quite familiar with),

8^th: Yu/Zhang (CHN): Because I can’t imagine the veteran-of-veterans, Zhang Hao, missing the top 10 with this partner.

9^th: Seguin/Bilodeau (CAN): Because they’re freakin’ adorable and have charisma for days… if only they can keep their jumps under control.

10^th: Knierim/Knierim (USA): Don’t hate me for trying to keep my expectations low for this hard-tested-in-life, but not-really-tested-on-the-ice (this season) team.

Who’d I miss?  Iliushechkina/Moscovitch (CAN) could crack top 10 again, and Denney/Frazier (USA) could pull a top 10 surprise too. And while they probably don’t stand much of a chance for it this year, keep an eye on the new Junior World pair champs representing Australia (yes, THAT Australia) Alexandrovskaya/Windsor.