By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
When Kim Yu-na dominated the World Grand Prix Final the past two years, Mao Asada of Japan had to settle for second both times.
And at this season's event, which takes place in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province Friday through Sunday, these two contemporary rivals and friends, who have competed since their junior careers, are expected to clash again in their attempt to become the top figure skater on the ladies' side.
Kim became the earliest qualifier of the final, where the top six skaters compete, by winning Skate America and the Cup of China, the first and third World Grand Prix events out of the six-leg series, by a large margin of more than 20 points.
In Everett, Wash. in October, the 18-year-old South Korean, who was clearly in superb form, earned a total of 193.45 points, a season-high number, to Japanese runner-up Yukari Nakano's 172.53 and racked up 191.75 to another Japanese Miki Ando's 170.88 in Beijing last month.
If Kim, ranked third in the world, defends her title, she will be only the second figure skater to pull off a threepeat following Irina Slutskaya of Russia, who did so from 1999 to 2001.
Second-ranked Asada, who triumphed in the final in what was her debut year 2005, unexpectedly dropped to second with 167.59 points at Trophee Bompard in Paris, the fourth event.
But she survived her sluggish start by topping the NHK trophy, the sixth and last event in the series, at home in November and securing a spot in the final.
Nagoya-born Asada said that she was looking forward to facing Kim in the final after making the final entry.
Considering the two skaters are on the upswing, the trophy is expected to go to the one who does all elements without any mistakes.
``I am in good condition now after winning two Grand Prix contests. I will focus on minimizing my blunders in the final,'' Kim said on her arrival in Korea Tuesday morning.
Kim was deducted points for not landing a clean double axel in the short program and was also downgraded for misleading a triple loop into a single jump in the free skating in Everett.
Along with Kim and Asada, 2007 world champion Ando and Nakano, world No. 1 Carolina Kostner of Italy and Canadian Joannie Rochette, who won Skate Canada and Trophee Bompard, are contending for the honor.
The short program is scheduled at 8:15 p.m. Friday and the free skating starts at 8:05 p.m. Saturday.