MILAN - Japanese teenager Ami Nakai set the pace in the Olympic women's figure skating competition on Tuesday as freestyle skier Tormod Frostad soared to gold in an all-time classic big air final.
Nikai upstaged teammate Kaori Sakamoto at the Milano Ice Skating Arena while America's Alysa Liu rounded out a powerful top three after the short programme.
Sakamoto is searching for an elusive gold at her final Winter Games but faces a stiff challenge from a new generation of Japanese stars including Nakai and Mone Chiba.
The 25-year-old Sakamoto, a relative veteran in the sport, won both of her segments in the team event earlier in the Games as Japan took silver behind the United States.
She remains well placed ahead of what promises to be a titanic battle in Thursday's free skate but her young teammate has the advantage.
Nakai's sparkling, circus-like skate to "La Strada" by Nino Rota stole the show on Tuesday, earning her a personal-best 78.71 points.
Three-time world champion Sakamoto, who won Olympic singles bronze in Beijing four years ago, is lying in wait on 77.23 points.
World champion Liu scored 76.59 followed by Mone and Russian Adeliia Petrosian, competing at the Milan-Cortina Games as a neutral.
Nakai punched the air in delight having nailed her elements including a difficult three-and-a-half-rotation triple axel.
She said she felt like she was "dreaming" at her first Winter Olympics.
Asked about Thursday's free programme, she said: "I want to make sure I land the triple axel and then enjoy the performance until the very end of it."
She added: "The Americans push me with their difficult jumps, including the triple axel. But at the same time, they're all very nice people, so I just want to enjoy my time with them on the ice."