Kim Yu-na to Open Grand Prix Season in Paris Fri.

World figure skating champion Kim Yu-na will compete in the first event of this season’s International Skating Union Grand Prix at the Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris Friday.

○ New program

Kim will show her new program and attire in Paris. She began training in Vancouver, Canada, with her new music comprising the James Bond theme for the short program and George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F Major for free skating.

Her management agency IB Sports said, “Kim’s attire for the short program will be a blue dress that embodies a Bond girl’s image of sensuality and cool. For the free skating event, we utilized blue tones to give a refined image of the background piece.”

○ Going for sixth straight Grand Prix win

In her senior debut in the 2006-2007 season, Kim won the bronze medal in the Grand Prix’s first event Skate Canada International, followed by a gold at the Trophee Eric Bompard in 2006.

She also won the gold in the 2007-2008 season at both the Cup of China and Cup of Russia. Last season, she claimed the Skate America and Cup of China titles, marking her fifth consecutive win in a Grand Prix event.

○ Take advantage of rivals’ slump

In Paris, Kim will face archrival Mao Asada of Japan, last year’s world championship runner-up and world No. 1 Carolina Kostner of Italy, and No. 8 Caroline Zhang of the United States. Experts say, however, that all three competitors are rusty.

In the free skating competition at the Japan Open, Asada scored just 102.94 points, well below her high of 133.13.

Sasha Cohen of the U.S., who won the 2006 Olympic silver medal, was expected to make a comeback but gave up due to injury.