Wakaikari - Teenage sensation?

[Jejima]

The annual polls followed Takakeisho's career until his intai in 2024. He was the youngest sekitori at the time of his very first poll. This will be the only 'new' annual poll that I am starting for this year.

I was very tempted to ignore the truly youngest sekitori for this new poll, and instead select the second youngest - the Ukrainian Aonishiki - but @Yarimotsu has already made an annual poll involving him. 

So, let's go with the truly youngest Sekitori for January 2025, namely Wakaikari. He was born on 22nd February 2005. He will be the only teenager in either of the top two divisions in January 2025 - but he will be starting 2025 very near to the bottom of Juryo. (Edit: J13E) 

Please add extra comments regarding your thoughts for Wakaikari's 2025. These comments might be used in the need of a tie-breaker.

Edited December 29, 2024 by Jejima

[Yarimotsu]

7 hours ago, Jejima said:

I was very tempted to ignore the truly youngest sekitori for this new poll, and instead select the second youngest - the Ukrainian Aonishiki - but @Yarimotsu has already made an annual poll involving him. 

Feel free to do one anyway

[Kyokufuji]

He will have 3 basho where he is either 8-7, 7-8, 4-3, or 3-4.

[Morty]

This is all pure guess as I know nothing about him - mid table maegashira, and he'll win a juryo yusho

[Athenayama]

One peek at Makuuchi by the end of the year. mid to upper Juryo for the rest of the year (from March onwards).

[Jejima]

I think he is too small to do much - as he is no Mainoumi. A good chance that he might even end up in Makushita for Jan 2026, but I reckon J13W optimistically for then.

[Jejima]

Bump - last chance to vote!

[Jejima]

Only 12 people voted in this poll.

Two-thirds of us think that Wakaikari will remain in Juryo this year. 

We think that his longest winning streak will likely be between 4 and 6 wins.  (At the time of writing, his best winning streak is already 4.)

The statements in question 3 have a good spread of 'yays' and 'nays' - which will make this one interesting when we come to see who made the best predictions.

[Jejima]

This was Wakaikari's 2025....

Jan: J13E 9-3-3
Mar: J9E 8-7
May: J5W 12-3 JY
Changed his shikona to Fujinokawa
Jul: M14W 10-5
Sep: M9W 6-9
Nov: M12E 9-6

(Jan 2026 - somewhere around M8 or M9?)

Q1: Well, it will be his January 2026 rank - so I will need to tweak this later. It will likely be around M8 or M9. Closest (with M7) is Morty. Second closest (with M14) is I am the Yokozuna.

Q2: Wakaikari's longest winning streak was 7 wins (days 9 - 15 in May). Nobody got this spot on. Closest were Yarimotsu and Kyokufuji with 6, and  Wakawakawaka and I am the Yokozuna with 8.

Q3: These were the scores (out of 10):

1/10 - Bunbukuchagama
3/10 - BigKahunaMan, Fashiriteta
4/10 - Killjoy, Jejima, Yarimotsu
5/10 - Sumo Spiffy, Pitinosato, Kyokufuji, I am the Yokozuna
7/10 - Morty
8/10 - Wakawakawaka

So, yusho between Morty, I am the Yokozuna and Wakawakawaka....

Wakawakawaka went with M15 for Q1. Morty went with 9 for Q2. 

Very close, but the yusho goes to Wakawakawaka . Jun-yusho AND Oustanding Performance Prize (for being the only player to predict a jun-yusho) goes to Morty  .  Fighting Spirit Prize to I am the Yokozuna.

 

Edited November 25 by Jejima