Kim Yu-Na beaten by Mao Asada at World Championships

 OLYMPIC champion Kim Yu-Na couldn't manage her own version of the Great Escape as Japanese rival Mao Asada succeeded her title at the World Figure Skating Championships.

FINALLY BEATEN: Korea's Kim Yu-Na suffers first defeat of the season as she is forced to settle for silver at the World Championships (Getty Images)

South Korean teenager Kim had been unbeaten all season, peaking in a stunning crescendo at her debut Winter Olympics in Vancouver last month where she set world records in both skates.

But the 19-year old's short program had been dismal on Friday, riddled with errors and under-rotations as she appeared to struggle with her left skate and slumped to seventh.

Such is Kim's superiority in women's figure skating that a 10.1 deficit behind USA's surprise leader, 16-year old Mirai Nagasu, didn't rule her out of the running for the title.

If anything, Kim was still favourite to add to her Grand Prix Final and Olympic titles and complete a perfect season, having scored 18.34 more than anyone for her free skate in Vancouver.

But once again, the South Korean went through the motions in Turin, falling on a triple salchow and ducking out of a spiral sequence as she scored 130.49 for an overall tally of 190.79.

Asada has had to play second fiddle to her rival all season, finishing second best at the Trophee Eric Bompard Grand Prix as well as in Vancouver last month.

But given the chance to reclaim her title from two years ago, Asada was clinical, landing each jump, combination and spin with an assured style.

The 19-year old knew gold was within her grasp and although she slipped short of her season's best from Vancouver, a score of 129.5 was more than enough to keep her ahead of Kim as she finished on 197.58

Nagasu was the only one who could deny Asada in the final group, needing a score of 127.19 - less than a point more than her season's best - to win.

But the precocious American couldn't handle the pressure on her young shoulders and, failing to match her level from her short program in her free skate, scored 105.8 to slip down to seventh overall.

European silver medallist Laura Lepisto took advantage of Nagasu capitulation to slip into third overall and capture her first world medal.

Meanwhile, Great Britain's Jenna McCorkell finished her topsy-turvy season on a high as she secured a career best finish of 14th at the World Figure Skating Championships in Turin.

The Northern Irish skater was lying 15th after her short program but a personal best free skate of 98.78 was the 12th best of the day and handed the 23-year old reason for optimism after failing to qualify for the second skate in Vancouver.