HARBIN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russian and Japanese figure skaters are regarded by their rivals as the strongest gold contenders at the ongoing Winter Universiade, slated for Feb. 18-28 in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin.

    "Russian Vladimir Uspenski is very promising in men's skating," said Marie Lundmark, figure skating chair of the International Technical Commission of the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

    Kristoffer Berntsson from Sweden and Alban Preaubert from France, who stood eighth and fifth at the 2009 European Figure Skating Championships, are also strong competitors in men's skating, according to Lundmark.

    On women's part, Japanese Yukari Nakano, gold winner of the 2007Asian Winter Games and fourth of the 2008 World Championships, was the overwhelming favorite. Her strongest rival was Finnish Kiira Korpi, bronze medallist of the 2007 European Championships and fifth of the 2009 European Championships.

    Lundmark believes China's Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao, silver medallists of the Turin Olympics in 2006, edged other competitors with their excellent skills and profound experience. They would possibly claim the third consecutive victory on home soil. Russian pair Ksenia Krasilnikova and Konstantin Bezmaternikh, would try to set some difficulties for the Chinese.

    The ice dance is dominated by Israeli pair Alexandra Zaretski and Roman Zaretski, who took ninth at the 2008 World Championships, said Lundmark.

    The United States and Canada, which believed to be world's strong powers in figure skating, did not send best athletes to the Universiade. Most of the participants take the Harbin Universiade as their first international games.

    The figure skating competitions, including men's and women's single skating, pairs, ice dance and synchronized skating will be staged from Feb. 21-24 in Harbin, drawing 204 university athletes from 26 countries and regions.