SAPPORO, Japan (AP) Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan and Jason Brown of the United States will be aiming to secure berths in the Grand Prix Final at this weekend's NHK Trophy, the final event of the International Skating Union's series.
Hanyu won the silver medal at Skate Canada in October and will be the favorite on home ice.
Brown opened the season with a silver medal at Skate America and can book a career-first berth at the Dec. 8-11 GP Final in Marseille, France, with a strong showing in Sapporo.
Nathan Chen of the United States and Mikhail Kolyada of Russia placed fourth in their first events and could still make it to the GP Final.
In the women's event, Four Continents champion Satoko Miyahara of Japan and world bronze medalist Anna Pogorilaya of Russia are the favorites.
