Russian ladies, Hanyu in Japan chasing Winter Olympic berths

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

The attention of the figure skating world rests squarely on the Eastern Hemisphere this week. The Russian national championships should reveal Olympic favorites for the women’s competition. With four of the top five skaters in the current world rankings, led by record-setting Kamila Valiyeva, there’s a chance the Russians could sweep the medals podium in the ladies competition when the Beijing Games begin in less than six weeks. At the Japanese nationals, two-time and reigning Olympic gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu will make his season debut after dealing with a series of injuries.