Each year, the Grand Prix Final takes place a month or so before the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Next week, the event will be held in Tokyo, Japan. The final is comprised of the four figure skating areas - ladies, men, pairs and ice dance - and competitors must qualify through winning medals at a series of six events.

Usually it's a preview of the top skaters we'll see at the Olympics, but a few of the best always seem to be missing, so it's not a perfect indicator of who will win in Vancouver. It is, however, the only place the best of the best will compete this year against each other before the Olympics. So who are the best?

In the ladies' event, South Korean mega-celebrity and World Champion Yu-Na Kim tops the pack, followed by Japan's Miki Ando, Canada's Joannie Rochette, Russian Alena Leonova, American Ashley Wagner and Akiko Suzuki, also of Japan. Expect Kim to wow audiences at the Final. She won two events in the Grand Prix series, faltering in her free skate in Lake Placid but racking enough points to stay on top. My prediction is Ando and Rochette will be on the podium with Kim, like they were at Worlds in the spring. If any of them falter, however, Ashley Wagner has a good shot.

Sadly, America Rachel Flatt did not make it to the final, even though she beat Kim in the free skate at Skate America and took silver there. Nor did Alissa Czisny, who won the Short Program at Skate Canada, finishing second there. Mao Asada, Japanese sensation who probably would have won the 2006 Olympics had she been old enough to compete, also barely missed the cut. Those three could all be medal contenders in Vancouver - if they make their respective teams.

In the Mens' event, Nobunari Oda is the favorite, after entertaining audiences with his Charlie Chaplin routine during the series. World Champion Evan Lysacek won Skate America, but Oda beat him at Cup of China. Lysacek needs to bring his A game. Other Americans fill out the final event - Jeremy Abbott and Johnny Weir. Daisuke Takahashi of Japan also earned a spot. Brian Joubert withdrew due to injury, to be replaced by first alternate Tomas Verner. This should be an awesome event.

Noticeably absent - Evgeny Plushenko, 2006 Olympic Champion, who had not competed since the Olympics until Cup of Russia where he awesomely completed two quads as if the Olympics were yesterday. He will be formidable in Vancouver. The gold medal is his to lose.

The best of the best in Pairs will all be in Tokyo: Shen & Zhao, Pang & Tong, and Zhang & Zhang of China, Mukhortova & Trankov and Kavaguti & Smirnov of Russia, and World Champions Savchenko & Szolkowy of Germany. First alternates are Dube & Davison of Canada, notable because they will be home favorites in Vancouver. Expect all of these teams to have a shot at the podium next weekend and in February. I want Shen & Zhao to win. I just do. They're beautiful. They skate like Olympic champions. There's no way to express how magical they are on the ice - you just have to see it to believe it. And they can afford to lose the Grand Prix Final, but they are my favorites for Olympic gold.

Impressively, American ice dancers Davis & White earned the top spot at the Grand Prix Final, having won Cup of Russia and the NHK Trophy even though Canadians Virtue & Moir earned an all time best score at Skate Canada, winning there and in France. Belbin & Agosto won Skate America and Cup of China, but they had to withdraw from the Grand Prix Final because Tanith Belbin had emergency oral surgery and was advised by doctors to rest during this time. They will reportedly be replaced by alternates Crone & Poirier. Belbin & Agosto expect to be back on the ice next week training for U.S. Nationals.

Ice Dance is interesting because the top 3 teams in the Final all won gold twice in the Grand Prix series, raising expectations that all will be on the podium in Olympics. But maybe not. World Champions Domnina & Shabalin will not be at the Final, but are expected to compete in Vancouver. Pechalat & Bourzat of France, Cappellini & Lanotte of Italy and Kerr & Kerr of Britain round out the group. They're all amazing to watch.

If your head is spinning now from all of the names I mentioned, don't worry about it. Just watch the Grand Prix Final next weekend on NBC and icenetwork.com and see who you like. Watch also for my posts following the ladies' short and long programs, and I'll be tweeting @segsk8 too. I'll provide play-by-play and my own personal analysis as a skater, but most of it will be time-delayed since the event is in Japan. Remember - whatever happens in Tokyo, the Olympics is still two months away. It's an exciting time for figure skating.

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Sarah Granger hopes to be in Vancouver to see the best in the world on ice - and blog about it.