Canada captured a gold medal and a world record in the team sprint ©ISU

Canada set a world record to delight the home crowd and win men's team sprint gold on the opening day of the International Skating Union (ISU) Speed Skating World Cup in Calgary.

The team of Laurent Dubreuil, Gilmore Junio and Vincent De Haître proved a class above the opposition at the Calgary Olympic Oval as they combined for a time of 1min 17.31sec.

This was more than two seconds faster than the world record of 1:19.97 set by United States in 2016.

Four other teams also skated faster than this time in lightening fast conditions.

Russia took second place in 1:18.25 and The Netherlands placed third in 1:18.53.

Norway missed out on the medals in fourth, despite a time of 1:18.56.

Sven Kramer was among other winners on the first day of competition ©Getty Images
Sven Kramer was among other winners on the first day of competition ©Getty Images

Russia won the corresponding women's team sprint event.

Angelina Golikova, Olga Fatkulina and Elizaveta Kazelina clocked 1:24.84.

Norway took the silver medal in 1:26.38 and China finished a further 0.27 seconds behind in third place. 

Three-time Olympic champion Sven Kramer won the men's 5,000m race elsewhere today.

He clocked 6:07.04 to silence the crowd and beat home hope Ted-Jan Bloemen, second in 6:08.54, and Germany's Patrick Beckert, who crossed in 6:10.80 for third.

Japan's Miho Takagi won the women's 3,000m in 3:57.09 after narrowly defeating two Dutch rivals.

Antoinette de Jong took second place in 3:57.78 and Ireen Wüst clocked 3:58.10 for third.

Action is due to continue tomorrow.