Friedrich matched the feat achieved by Italian legend Eugenio Monti as he edged Canadian Justin Kripps by 0.59sec across the four runs at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

The German and pusher Thorsten Margis clocked a combined 3min 24.54sec to beat Kripps, who shared the gold medal with Friedrich at last year's Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, and team-mate Ben Coakwell.

The Canadians finished their four runs in 3:25.13, 0.30 quicker than bronze medallists Nico Walther and Paul Krenz of Germany.

The triumph for Friedrich comes after he became the first athlete to record a perfect World Cup season in the two-man event.

The 28-year-old will have the chance to further cement his dominance of the men's bobsleigh events when he competes in the four-man competition, which takes place in the Canadian city on Friday (March 8).

Monti, who has two more world titles than the German, claimed five consecutive two-man crowns between 1957 and 1961.

Friedrich will be able to break the record if he participates at next year's World Championships on his home track of Altenberg.

Germany's reigning Olympic, European and World Cup champion Mariama Jamanka is on track for her first world title as she leads at the halfway stage of the two-woman bobsleigh event.

Jamanka and Annika Drazek clocked a total time of 1:45.22 across the two runs and are 0.13 ahead of double world champion Elana Meyers Taylor of the United States.

Meyers Taylor and brakewoman Lake Kwaza set a track record of 52.48 in their opening run but will have to overturn a deficit if they are to take gold.

Stephanie Schneider and Ann-Christin Strack, also from Germany, are third going into the last two runs tomorrow.