Two-time reigning world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan won Friday's women's short program at Skate Canada, the second event of the ISU Grand Prix season.
The 23-year-old from Kobe scored 75.13 points from the judges panel to seize command at Vancouver.
South Korea's 16-year-old Kim Chae-yeon was second on 70.31 with Japan's 19-year-old Rino Matsuike third on 66.29.
The results of Saturday's women's free skate will decide the winner.
Defending champion Rinka Watanabe of Japan was seventh on 57.52.
Sakamoto figures to compete again in Canada next March at Montreal in the 2024 World Championships, where she could become the first woman since American Peggy Fleming from 1966-68 to win three consecutive world titles.
Sakamoto, who took women's and team bronze medals at last year's Beijing Winter Olympics, won the women's free skate to help Team Japan claim the Japan Open team title earlier this month and in September captured an ISU Challenger Series event in Montreal.
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