South Korea's Yunjong Won and Youngwoo Seo shared top spot with the Swiss team at the Bobsleigh World Cup in Whistler ©IBSF

Switzerland and South Korea shared top spot in the two-man bobsleigh race in the Canadian town of Whistler, marking the closest-ever result in World Cup history.

The Swiss duo of Rico Peter and Thomas Amrhein and the South Korean pairing of Yunjong Won and Youngwoo Seo both clocked a time of 1 min 43.41sec, while Russia’s Alexander Kasjanov and Aleksei Pushkarev were just 0.01 seconds behind in third, earning them their first-ever World Cup podium finish.

Although not an outright win, the Koreans' triumph was the first-ever victory for a bobsleigh team from the country which is due to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

Won and Seo dedicated their historic success to former head coach Malcom "Gomer" Lloyd, who passed away at the beginning of this month. 

Following the fifth of eight World Cup races this season, Won’s tally of 1,001 points sees him replace world champion Francesco Friedrich of Germany at the top of the overall rankings.

Friedrich was in third place halfway through proceedings in Whistler, but an injury prevented him from competing in the final run and has seen him fall to sixth place in the overall standings. 

Second place in the rankings is Germany’s Nico Walther, who finished 12th in Whistler, on 898 points, while Peter is third on 889.

Germany’s Tina Hermann claimed her fourth win of the Skeleton World Cup season
Germany’s Tina Hermann claimed her fourth win of the Skeleton World Cup season ©IBSF

In the women's skeleton race, Germany’s Tina Hermann claimed her fourth win of the season. 

A time of 1 min 48.90sec saw Hermann overcome a strong challenge from the United States’ Anne O’Shea, who finished 0.19 seconds behind, despite holding a narrow lead following the first round.

Hermann’s compatriot Jacqueline Lölling, the World Championship silver medallist, finished third on the Vancouver 2010 Olympic track, 0.58 seconds behind.

Canada's Jane Channell broke a track record on her second run, setting a new starting mark of 4.84sec at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

Following the sixth of eight World Cup races this season, Hermann maintains her grip on first place with 1,302 points.

Lölling, the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games champion, remains in second place on 1,148 points, while Channell is in third on 1,122.

Action in Whistler is due to continue tomorrow with events in men’s skeleton, women’s bobsleigh and two-man bobsleigh.