SEOUL (AFP) - Japan's Daisuke Takahashi took a commanding lead after the men's short programme on the first day of the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Goyang Wednesday.

The world silver medallist nailed a triple axel and a triple-triple jump combination to set a career-best mark of 88.57 points.

Defending champion Evan Lysacek of the United States was lying second with 84.06, also a career-high for him. Canadian Jeffrey Buttle, a two-time winner of the Four Continents, was third with 83.85.

Earlier, in the pairs, Chinese Olympic silver medallists Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao are leading after the short programme with 70.45 points. Their compatriots, two-time Four Continents winners Pang Qing and Tong Jian, scored 67.70 to go into Thursday's free skating round in second place.

The United States pairing of Rena Inoue and John Baldwin, the 2006 champions, are more than 10 points behind in third.

In ice dancing, the Canadian duo of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are in first place after the compulsory dance with 38.22 points, ahead of the 37.36 by Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the US.

Virtue and Moir took the bronze medal at the previous Four Continents. They reached the podium in both of their Grand Prix competitions last autumn and finished fourth at the Grand Prix Final.

Davis and White are hoping for a podium finish after placing fourth at last year's Four Continents. Another American duo, Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre, were in third with 34.36. The original dance, and ladies' short programme will take place on Thursday.