Ashley Wagner recorded a personal-best short program and leads Skate Canada heading into Saturday’s free skate.
Wagner, a three-time U.S. champion, landed all of her jumps cleanly for 70.73 points, her first time breaking the 70-point barrier. She has a comfortable 7.38-point lead over Japan’s Yuka Nagai.
World champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva of Russia followed Wagner with a sluggish performance on her jumps for 55.37 points, good enough for seventh place.
Tuktamysheva, who was 10th at the 2013 Russian Championships, won eight titles last season, including sweeping the Grand Prix Final, European Championships and Worlds.