MOSCOW -- Mao Asada overcame two errors in her free skate to win the Rostelecom Cup over Alena Leonova of Russia on Saturday and qualify for the ISU Grand Prix final for the first time in three years.
Asada was leading the Russian by less than half a point after Friday's short program in the last of the season's six Grand Prix competitions.
The two-time world champion from Japan double-footed a triple Axel and reduced her triple combination to just a triple Salchow jump. Asada got 118.96 points for the free program and totalled 183.25 to beat second-place Leonova by 2.8 points. Leonova also reduced her combination and fell on a double Axel.
Asada is one of the few women skaters able to perform a triple Axel, but, skating to Franz Liszt's Liebestraum, she opened with a double Axel before faltering on a Lutz.
"I'm very happy to be in the (Grand Prix) final," Asada said. "I was really disappointed to miss the final twice, but I worked hard and finally have done it."
Leonova will be competing in her second straight final.
"I'm satisfied with the way I skated today," Leonova said. "All the jumps in the first part of my routine were perfect, but I made a couple of mistakes in the second half. When I jumped for my Axel I realized that I was flying to one side and could land on my head. So I was ready to fall."
Russian teen Adelina Sotnikova was third with 111.96 points overall for her second Grand Prix podium this season. The 15-year-old world junior champion, who used to train with Asada at Tatyana Tarasova's camp two years ago, was also third at the Cup of China earlier this month and will be the first substitute for the final in Quebec City on Dec. 8-11.
Amelie Lacoste of Delson, Que., was eighth.
"I'm so happy to compete with her (Asada)," Sontikova said.
In the pairs, reigning world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy won over Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov.
The Germans got 208.69 points, 10.85 points ahead of the Russian pair, who were followed by S
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