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The most important figure skating event in the run-up to the Olympics begins Thursday with the Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan. This is the last time that all of the world's best skaters will gather before the Winter Games in northern Italy.

Here's what to know:

The Grand Prix of Figure Skating's regular season consists of six events held around the world in October and November. Skaters can compete in up to two of these. They earn points based on where they finish, and those points decide who gets to compete in the Final. Only the top six in each discipline — men's, women's, pairs and ice dance — are invited.

Because skaters

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