a questions about all stars

[shunsukenumber98]

Something I always wondered is why the all stars were never able to make it back to the third stage again after their last third stage attempt even though their age wasn't that much of a factor. An example is Takeda. His last third stage run was when he was roughly 35. And now, we have people triple that age that get to the third stage on a regular basis. Why is this the case with the new stars, where even though they are still relatively young, they couldn't make it back to the third stage at the time. 

[zoran]

Declining interest and bad luck on stage 1 and 2. A lot of people in their 40s who are doing well now like Yuuji and Suzuki have been training for the show for decades and have more resources for training like the home courses, the stagnant stage 1 and 2 of today also help. For Takeda, him not competing in 26 and 27, then the show getting cancelled put him out of practice, then when he started doing well again like in 33, his issues with the salmon ladder (which was probably worsened by his shoulder problems) cost him before he was forced to retire.

Modern tournaments where I think an all star could have made stage 3

28 - Nagano uses the proper technique on the wall, would more than likely get dqed on the swap but with good luck he doesn't. Shingo maybe as well.

30 - Shingo doesn't suck in backstream water and pushes himself to clear in the nick of time, Nagano maybe has a chance too if he didn't get dqed as being a fisherman and having good upper body strength, the backstream and walls would be less of an issue for him.

32 - Nagano and possibly Shingo. If Nagano got the wall in one and doesn't fail the kudari ladder, he could clear stage 2. For Shingo, he's never failed the wall before due to his athletic background and with the easy stage 2 I think he could clear.

34 - Takeda doesn't screw up the salmon ladder. The shock of the conveyor would be lessened and with good luck and speed I think he could've cleared. Same for Shingo, given how close he came in 40 despite being older and on a harder course., the morale boost from clearing stage 1 would also give him a push

36 - Takeda, would depend if he was able to beat the dragon glider. From there, again the salmon ladder could pose an issue but I could see him clearing in the best case scenario.

37 - Shingo, a bit reaching but if he could pull the dragon glider of and with the easy stage 2, he could have made stage 3.

40 - Shingo, very low chance but if he didn't mess up the jump to the salmon ladder and perhaps had prior experience on the new stage 2, I could see him clearing.

[subtleagent]

Yamada - 36 (10)
Akiyama - 30 (12)
Bunpei - 39 (17)
Shingo - 35 (23)
Takeda - 34 (24)
Nagano - 39 (27)

I think most of it is because the main group sans Yamada and Bunpei rarely trained on replicas and relied on small spaces, plus courses were less stagnant unlike now. And even then the obstacles to replicate were dare I say costly back them (nowadays not so much and with said stagnancy in play they get to save money for materials.

Competitors nowadays have more advantages with Inui lacking the budget for an overhaul and the predetermined factors in play so celebs and early first clears can happen.