Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany took a sizable lead in the Olympic pairs figure skating short program in Milano-Cortina, topping a tightly contested field ahead of Monday’s free skate.

Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea are in seventh and Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe are in ninth after the pairs' figure skating short program.

The Olympic figure skating pairs short program kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 1:30 p.m. ET. The early favorites for Olympic gold are Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara.

Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara soared from fifth place to Olympic gold with a world-record free skate on Monday. The final day of Olympic pairs skating brought records, history and heartbreak.

MILAN (AP) — Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin were the beneficiaries of another unpredictable night of Olympic figure skating. The German pair, who have struggled with consistency themselves,

One of these pairs has already made history, in that Kam and O'Shea have a nearly 14-year age difference, which makes them the team with the largest age gap for any U.S. pair to have competed at worlds since at least 1990, according to NBC News research.

Both disciplines feature pairs of skaters performing together on the ice, but they are definitely not the same.

MILAN (AP) — Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea did not have the kind of pairs free skate they envisioned at the Olympics. At least the Americans have that team gold medal to console them. No doubt exhausted by performing for the fourth time at the Winter Games,

Madison Chock and Evan Bates claimed the silver medal in a thrilling Olympic ice dance final, while teammates Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik finished fourth.