I think its tranditional SC + NHK for Yuzuru. Its a bit hard to predict for the rest because we don't know which Nathan would choose for 2nd GP, I'm gonna go with COR

 

SA : Nathan, Shoma

SC : Yuzuru, Kolyada

IDF : Vincent, Shoma

COC: Vincent, Boyang

COR : Nathan, Kolyada, 

NHK : Yuzuru, Boyang 

 

I just really hope Yuzu will choose one he feels comfortable and gets least underscored at, and that would be nhk and cor. but most importantly, i just really hope he can be in top forms there as well as that the ice is in the best condition..please no more injury!

I would love to see him at SC again... it's been a while and there is no top Canadian that can really challenge him at the moment... so good scores might not be so hard to come by.... and the schedule looks to be the best as well. (and the lure of the SC gold just has to be the number 1 draw, LOL, right? )

 

For the 2nd... I voted NHK because not only is the timing good, but he has not had much chance to compete in Japan the last 2 years (other than Worlds), so I can see that being chosen... but Rostelecom has been good for him lately and the timing is good for that one too...

 

But, we'll find out in less than a month... I can't believe it is already THAT time of the year... almost!!

Just based on timing and the fact that Yuzu hasn't done NHK in a longtime, I picked SC and NHK. But on second reflection, IdF and Rostelecom are equally likely. The only way I could see Yuzu ending up at SA is if Nathan doesn't go, which I think is unlikely. CoC is awkwardly timed for everyone, IMO.... not early enough for someone to kick off their season but too far out from GPF for someone to use it to build momentum towards that. 

 

On the other hand, because ACI is so early this year, Yuzu might end up picking earlier comps to get some flow going....in which case it could be SA and CoC or Rostelecom. 

 

I think SC/ Rostelecom might actually be the most likely combo, though. 

 

Also, does Yuzu get to pick this year? He's not top 3 in world rankings, doesn't that mean he gets assigned instead? In which case I wouldn't put it past ISU to dump a lousy combo like IdF/CoC or Rostelecom/NHK on him, just to be jerks. 

I voted for SC + NHK, but imo SC + COR is likely as well.

This reminds me of last year, when we were all too sure that he would do SC + NHK, then the mystery assignment turned out and everyone's jaws dropped... LOL Crazy times.

26 minutes ago, rockstaryuzu said:

Just based on timing and the fact that Yuzu hasn't done NHK in a longtime, I picked SC and NHK. But on second reflection, IdF and Rostelecom are equally likely. The only way I could see Yuzu ending up at SA is if Nathan doesn't go, which I think is unlikely. CoC is awkwardly timed for everyone, IMO.... not early enough for someone to kick off their season but too far out from GPF for someone to use it to build momentum towards that. 

 

On the other hand, because ACI is so early this year, Yuzu might end up picking earlier comps to get some flow going....in which case it could be SA and CoC or Rostelecom. 

 

I think SC/ Rostelecom might actually be the most likely combo, though. 

 

Also, does Yuzu get to pick this year? He's not top 3 in world rankings, doesn't that mean he gets assigned instead? In which case I wouldn't put it past ISU to dump a lousy combo like IdF/CoC or Rostelecom/NHK on him, just to be jerks. 

All skaters are assigned, no one can literally pick, even the current world champions (oficially). But I'm 100% sure everybody wants Yuzu, they like their money and full arenas He's gonna have what he wants (assuming he doesn't want SA lol).

I don't think he ever had an assigment he wouldn't prefer (at least after he started to win), so no, ISU don't have an agenda agains Yuzuru, not with GP assigments at least. 

I read that the skater's - winner's - preferences are honored though. Maybe not to the extend that Nathan could just shrug off SA or choose NHK because that's host pick teritory,  but if he picks France, he'll get it even if France preferred Yuzu and Yuzu wanted it too.

I think it will be SkCa and CoR for Zazura.

Everything is based on assumption that Yuzuru won't be at CoC (on other hand maybe he will want to break this curse).

SkCa simply seems more comfortable than IdF (even when they don't score him nicely).

Then: Kolyada will be at CoR and it feels like either Nate or Zuz will go against him. That means Vince must be at NHK (like last year) - because without NHK he would have back-to-back IdF and CoC.

So, I ended with

SkAm: Nate + Boyang/Kolyada/Shoma

SkCa: Zuz + Boyang/Kolyada

IdF: Nate/ Vince + Shoma/Kolyada

CoC: Nate/Vince/?Zuz? + Boyang

CoR: Nate/Zuz + Kolyada

NHK: Vince + Shoma

Btw, I think Keegan will be at SkCa and CoC/CoR.

And I don't think Shoma will be at SkCa because without him Keegan will have higher chance to get silver medal and then qualify to GPF.

5 hours ago, Moria Polonius said:

I read that the skater's - winner's - preferences are honored though. Maybe not to the extend that Nathan could just shrug off SA or choose NHK because that's host pick teritory,  but if he picks France, he'll get it even if France preferred Yuzu and Yuzu wanted it too.

Unoficially, yes, but I'm not completely sure tbh, especially with France, the only way to have full stands is when Yuzu is there (and yes, I do believe money has higher power here). But of course generally winner should be considered first.

I talked to a Yale student who said that while there were no convenient breaks for Nathan this year, unlike last year, the way midterms tended to be scheduled meant that he was unlikely to want CoR or France, and would likely prefer CoC.

 

I’m also operating under the following assumptions: the rules only officially say that Yuzu/Vincent/Nathan and Boyang/Shoma/Mikhail can’t meet, but everyone knows that the top 3 in the world are technically Yuzu/Shoma/Nathan and they’ll try to keep those three from having a showdown before the GPF, too.

 

I also think that given the way the JSF is being about Yuzu (not listing him first, etc etc), they’re going to have Shoma at NHK, and even though they could have Yuzu and Shoma both there TECHNICALLY I don’t think they’re going to want to.

 

Given that, I think the most likely scenario then is:

 

SkAm: Nathan + (probably Mikhail? but maybe Boyang)

SCI: Yuzu + (probably Boyang? but maybe Misha)

IdeF: Vincent + Shoma

CoC: Nathan + Boyang

CoR: Yuzu + MIkhail

NHK: Vincent + Shoma

 

Bonus prediction: Daisuke Takahashi at NHK and SkAm (with tertiary possibility for IdeF).

2 hours ago, Blackberry said:

I also think that given the way the JSF is being about Yuzu (not listing him first, etc etc), they’re going to have Shoma at NHK, and even though they could have Yuzu and Shoma both there TECHNICALLY I don’t think they’re going to want to.

 

Why not? Media would love it. The suspense! The drama!

2 hours ago, Blackberry said:

I talked to a Yale student who said that while there were no convenient breaks for Nathan this year, unlike last year, the way midterms tended to be scheduled meant that he was unlikely to want CoR or France, and would likely prefer CoC.

 

I’m also operating under the following assumptions: the rules only officially say that Yuzu/Vincent/Nathan and Boyang/Shoma/Mikhail can’t meet, but everyone knows that the top 3 in the world are technically Yuzu/Shoma/Nathan and they’ll try to keep those three from having a showdown before the GPF, too.

 

I also think that given the way the JSF is being about Yuzu (not listing him first, etc etc), they’re going to have Shoma at NHK, and even though they could have Yuzu and Shoma both there TECHNICALLY I don’t think they’re going to want to.

I'm basing this purely off the published 2019-2020 Yale academic calendar (https://yalecollege.yale.edu/academics/academic-calendars/2019-2020-academic-calendar) rather than any actual knowledge, but I would have thought that if he had a completely free choice Nathan would probably want SkAM (October recess) and NHK (November recess/Thanksgiving).

 

Given that the JSF will want Yuzu or Shoma at NHK, I'm guessing they'll go for Yuzu to block Nathan so they don't have to put Shoma up against Nathan (it seems likely that he'll have to do at least one GP against him, but they can at least make sure it's only one, and not at home).

 

Other than that I have no clue!

3 hours ago, madraykin said:

I'm guessing they'll go for Yuzu to block Nathan

 

Top 1-3 at world's can't have the same GP assignments. That means Nathan/Yuzu/Vincent won't be competing against each other in the GP series.

5 hours ago, madraykin said:

I'm basing this purely off the published 2019-2020 Yale academic calendar (https://yalecollege.yale.edu/academics/academic-calendars/2019-2020-academic-calendar) rather than any actual knowledge, but I would have thought that if he had a completely free choice Nathan would probably want SkAM (October recess) and NHK (November recess/Thanksgiving).

 

Given that the JSF will want Yuzu or Shoma at NHK, I'm guessing they'll go for Yuzu to block Nathan so they don't have to put Shoma up against Nathan (it seems likely that he'll have to do at least one GP against him, but they can at least make sure it's only one, and not at home).

 

Other than that I have no clue!

 

It only looks on paper like NHK coincides with the November recess because they start the same day. But remember he has to travel halfway round the world (20+ hour flight) to get there, and there are practice days beforehand—so he would be leaving early.

 

And functionally (from what the student told me), many classes tends to have exams *right* before that break. That means that Nathan would have to leave right before exams, which is really suboptimal.

 

I think he’s going to want CoC or maybe IdeF (it’s a lot closer to him, and travel time will get you).

13 minutes ago, Blackberry said:

 

It only looks on paper like NHK coincides with the November recess because they start the same day. But remember he has to travel halfway round the world (20+ hour flight) to get there, and there are practice days beforehand—so he would be leaving early.

 

And functionally (from what the student told me), many classes tends to have exams *right* before that break. That means that Nathan would have to leave right before exams, which is really suboptimal.

 

I think he’s going to want CoC or maybe IdeF (it’s a lot closer to him, and travel time will get you).

Ah, I'd assumed he'd just have to miss classes and those dates would minimise the missed days and give him time to catch up afterwards.

 

Missing exams is obviously better to avoid if possible.