By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
South Korea's figure skating star Kim Yu-na advanced to the Grand Prix final as the No. 1 entry.
With the six-round Grand Prix wrapping up Sunday in Sendai, Japan, the top six skaters qualified for the final, and the 17-year-old defending champion from Korea and her rival Mao Asada of Japan, who was runner-up in last year's final in St. Petersburg, Russia, topped the points standings with 30 apiece.
Kim won the third and fifth rounds of the Grand Prix, while Asada finished first in the second and fourth rounds.
However, Kim's 377.88 points against Asada's 357.42 from two of their competitions powered her into the top place on the final entry.
World No. 3 Kimmie Meissner came in third with 28 points and was followed by Carolina Kostner of Italy and Yukari Nakano of Japan, who both recorded 26.
Meissner, an 18-year-old U.S. champion, won the first round of the Grand Prix and took second in the fourth.
World champion Miki Ando struggled. The Japanese figure skater, who had competed in the last three Grand Prix finals, was ranked fourth in Sendai, before tallying 22 points, which was eighth best.
Ando's struggles opened a spot for rookie Caroline Zhang, a 14-year-old American who finished third in the first, second and third contests, to reach the senior Grand Prix final for the first time.
The final will be held in Turin, Italy, from Dec. 13 to 16.