Winter World University Games champion Yamamoto clinched his first ISU Grand Prix gold medal in the men's event at the Skate Canada International at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in British Columbia's largest city.

He led the short programme before setting a personal season best in the free skate with 168.68 points.

The 23-year-old was the last to go and opened his performance with three brilliant quadruple jumps in the form of a Salchow, toe-triple toe, and solo toe.

Skating to Exogenesis Symphony Part 3 by Muse, Yamamoto then crashed on a triple Axel attempt but recovered to land three more clean triple jumps and level-four spins.

It led to a leading total of 258.42 points, putting him just half-a-point ahead of ahead of compatriot Kao Miura.

Italy's Matteo Rizzo rounded out the top three with 246.01 points.

"I knew this competition would be very important as it leads to the Grand Prix Final," said Yamamoto.

"I was nervous, but once I got on the ice and during the performance I was able to enjoy the skating and I think that led to this result today.

"I still got a lot of things to improve before I get to my next event, which is the Cup of China."

Yamamoto's countrywoman and two-time world champion Sakamoto started her season in style with a clear victory in the Canadian city. 

Her free skate saw the execution of seven perfect triple jumps including a triple flip-triple toe in the second half.

She then produced two level-four spins and a level four step sequence en route to an overall 226.13 points.

It put her 25 points ahead of 16-year-old South Korean Kim Chae-yeon, who was making her Grand Prix debut. 

Japan's Rino Matsuike earned the bronze medal with 198.62 points for a first Grand Prix medal. 

Home success was delivered by Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, who top-scored in both the pairs short programme and free skate for a total of 214.64 points.

It saw them beat Hungarians Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko with 187.78 points, while Italy's Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise took the bronze medal 181.42.

The ice dance title also went to a Canadian pair in the form of Piper Gillers and Paul Poirier on 219.01 points.

Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson scored 209.55 for silver, and Lithuania's Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius picked up bronze 27 points behind.

The next ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event is due to start in Angers in France on Friday (November 3).