The 17-year-old Miura capitalised on the withdrawal of compatriot Yuma Kagiyama and a fall from home favourite Ilia Malinin to take pole position with 94.96 in the Grand Prix of Figure Skating opener.

Miura began his short programme routine in style with a quad Salchow-triple toe loop before a triple Axel and quad toe loop saw him set a personal best at the Tenley E. Albright Performance Center in Massachusetts.

He holds a slim advantage over South Korea's Cha Jun-hwan on 94.44 while Italian Daniel Grassl currently occupies third place on 88.43.

"Today was very good," said Miura.

"I was in top shape and my body was moving as I wished it would.

"I'm asking myself how am I sitting here but I did everything I should have done and the results were there."

Prior to the individual contest, defending champions Knierim and Frazier brought the crowd to its feet in the pairs short programme with a score of 75.19.

The Canadian duo of Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps head into the pairs free skate in second after a short programme that also drew a standing ovation and 73.05 points.

Letizia Roscher and Luis Schuster of Germany are in distant third on 54.87.

"We're so happy to be back on competitive ice," said Knierim.

"It's been a while since I felt that high sensitivity of competing and it was a fun and cool experience."

Competition is set to continue tomorrow with the pairs and men's free skate events, while the women's action is due to begin with the short programme and the ice dance rhythm dance is also scheduled.