World champion Mao Asada's last international competition before heading to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympic Games should be in Tokyo at the Grand Prix Final next December, according to the schedule recently released by the International Skating Union for next season.
The senior and junior GP Finals will be held together at Yoyogi Arena from Dec. 3-6, which should provide skating fans one final chance to see Mao and South Korean rival Kim Yu Na compete before they take their shots at Olympic glory.
Mao made her first major splash at the last GP Final in Tokyo, back in 2005, when she beat a field of veteran skaters to win the event at the age of 15. That victory rocketed her onto the world stage and she has never looked back.