McPherson claimed the seated bobsleigh title at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic track, clocking a combined time of 1min 39.45sec after his two runs.

That saw him edge out home American slider Aaron Lanningham, who was timed at 1:39.63.

Third place went to Alvils Brants of Lativa, who stopped the watches at 1:39.80.

Canada's world champion Lonnie Bissonnette, also the defending World Cup champion, had to make do with fourth in the opening event.

His combined time was 1:39.84.

In the Para-skeleton competition, Richardson slid to success by finishing in 1:46.13 after his two runs.

That meant American Eric Eierdam, the World Cup and World Championship holder, could only take second place in 1:47.05.

Bronze went to another US slider as Ryan Gautieri came home in 1:47.92.

This was the first Para World Cup since bobsleigh was accepted for the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) provisionally approved the inclusion of the sport at a meeting in Rio de Janeiro in September.

The application for skeleton to be included on the programme was not successful though, due to the sport "not fulfilling a number of the criteria needed".

A second World Cup will be held in Park City on Wednesday (November 23).