Olympic silver medalist Irina Slutskaya of Russia has won the ladies' competition at the Cup of Russia, the final event of the International Skating Union's Grand Prix Series.
Slutskaya, the 2002 world champion, skated a nearly flawless long program that including three jumping combinations. Reigning world champion Shuzuka Arakawa of Japan finished second with European champion Julia Sebestyen of Hungary third.
With the win, Slutskaya finished the Grand Prix series in first place headed to the final in Beijing, China next month. Arakawa also qualified for the final.
In the pairs' competition, China's Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang finished first (167.7 points) with Russians Julia Obertas and Sergei Slavnov second (158.92). Germans Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy were third.
In the ice dancing competition, Russians Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov lead after the original dance section. Ukraine's Elena Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov are in second place with Italians Federica Saiella and Massimo Scali third. The free dance is Sunday.
The event is the last of the ISU's six Grand Prix events. The top finishers in the series advance to the Grand Prix finals in Beijing next month.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.
