Kim Yu-na, 5 Others Qualify for Grand Prix Final in Tokyo

Six figure skaters including world champion Kim Yu-na will compete early next month in the women’s singles event at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Tokyo.

Over the weekend, hometown heroine Joannie Rochette won Skate Canada, the season’s sixth Grand Prix event in Kitchener, Canada, with a score of 70 points in the short program and 112.90 in free skating for a total of 182.90. She earned a ticket to the final, ranking third in Grand Prix points with 26.

Kim, the winner of the first and fifth Grand Prix events of the season, advanced to the final with the most points (30), followed by Miki Ando of Japan, Rochette, Alena Leonova of Russia, and Ashley Wagner of the United States. The last spot went to Akiko Suzuki of Japan with 22 points.

Former world champion Mao Asada of Japan failed to make it the final with just 20 points. In addition, it is uncertain whether she can compete in next year’s Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Japan, which has three Olympic spots, plans to give berths to the highest scoring Japanese competitor in the Grand Prix final, another to the winner of the Japanese championship, and the final spot to the winner of a general evaluation.

creating@donga.com