Who will reach Stage 3 in their future?

[katoshiho]

Another post. This year, we have many new star cleared, and some are even rookies. So except for Matsuda, Kyan, Sakuma, Takayanagi, I didn't see anyone who get close in those few tournaments that didn't clear yet.
So I change to who will clear Stage 2 in future. Of course, Saikawa is a must.

[darthvaderlim]

I'd say the most likely would be Saikawa and Yuta. Saikawa has been progressing in Stage Two and got unlucky in 40, hopefully, he might improve his speed in Stage Two. Yuta was doing well until the Backstream, so this year, he will most likely improve his swimming

[dakohosu]

Saikawa: yes
Iwamoto: maybe, unless there's a difficulty spike to Stage 2, specifically a low time limit as he struggled even on 39's Stage 2
Nakashima: yes, likely in 42
Shuzo: yes, likely in 42
Takasuka: potentially, provided he gets invited back/passes the KuroTora trials again
Ugajin: probably not coming back given that he'll be forced to run the trials and the chances of him getting selected are next to none
Mori: doesn't seem like he's returning and is probably out of practice at this point with his former injury, family, and not having competed in 4 years
Izumi: probably not getting invited
Sugeta: maybe, if he can pick up the pace on Stage 2 and not choke on Stage 1
Goto: he has the capability to, though whether he'll manage to do so before he gets culled by Inui is a different story
Ugata: if he gets selected, maybe, don't know enough about him
Takanayagi: probably unlikely unless he trains a lot more, the best I see him currently is Salmon Ladder/Stage 2 fodder
Ishikawa: absolutely has the capability to, whether he'll get invited is a different story, rn unlikely as he was forced to run the trials
Foreigners: maybe given that they're generally more adaptable to harder and more dynamic courses than Sasuke, depends who though
Matsuda: HELL no
Oshima: even if they fix the Spider Drop distance for her, I'm going with unlikely given that she was far too slow on Stage 2
Tsukada: nope, too slow on Stage 2 and struggles to even make it there to begin with