WHISTLER, B.C. -- Canadas Lyndon Rush and Jesse Lumsden won their first two-man bobsled World Cup gold medal on Friday. The duo topped the podium with a two-run time of one minute 44.14 seconds, followed by Maximillian Arndt and Martin Putze of Germany. Beat Hefti and Thomas Lamparter of Switzerland placed third in 1:44.21. "I think if we are racing in Whistler we should be one of the teams to beat," said Rush, who hails from Humboldt, Sask. "If we put down our best here it should be better than everyone else because we know the track better." Rush and brakeman Lumsden of Burlington, Ont., were second after their first run, finishing in 52.04 seconds. They turned in the fastest run of the second heat in 52.10 seconds, beating out the field. Rushs medal was his eighth on the World Cup circuit and second victory in the two-man event. For Lumsden it was the second World Cup medal of his career. Lumsden, a former running back with the Hamilton Ticats, has been sledding since 2009, and raced as Pierre Lueders brakeman at Vancouver Olympics in 2010. Lumsden and Rush teamed up at the beginning of this season. Their first-place finish Friday moved them up to fourth in the overall FIBT standings. "I knew we were doing well right away," said Lumsden. "There is only so much you can do in the back of the sled after the start and expect to will your team to victory. Now we just have to prepare to win tomorrow in the 4-man event. That is the baby of our team." Newbie bobsled pilot Justin Kripps made his World Cup debut with brakeman Timothy Randall of Burlington. The duo finished in 17th spot. Kripps debut is the result of friend and teammate Chris Spring who was involved in a season-ending crash on Jan. 5 at Altenberg, Germany. "I looked at this race as a great way to gain experience," Kripps said. "Chris is doing really well and posted on his website that he is cheering me on today. Even before his accident he was talking about giving up his spot at this event so I could gain World Cup experience, which speaks to his character." Earlier in the day, world champion Martins Dukurs captured skeleton gold. The Olympic silver medallist finished in a two-run time of 1:45.76 , while Frank Rommel of Germany and Alexander Tretiakov of Russia tied for second in 1:46.51. Alexander Kroeckel finished with the third fastest time in 1:46.78. "This is a really tough track to stitch together two good runs," said Dukurs. "I didnt do it in the Olympic Games and at last years World Cup. I knew I had to focus on two good runs today." Dukurs earned a silver medal at the Vancouver Games and followed up with a bronze medal at a World Cup in Whistler last season. Dukurs has won six of seven World Cup races this season and leads the overall rankings with Frank Rommel of Germany second and teammate Tomass Dukurs third. Canadas mens team has not won a medal yet this season. In only his second World Cup season, Calgarys John Fairbairn had a personal best performance, finishing eighth in 1:47.53 while teammates Michael Douglas of Toronto placed 11th and Eric Neilson of Kelowna, B.C., was 19th. "I am happy with my runs because this is one of the most technical tracks in the world. The top guys make mistakes too and it feels like it gives me a bit of a chance against them," Fairbairn said. Olympic champion Jon Montgomery of Russell, Man., has taken the season off to train and prepare for the 2012-2013 Olympic qualifier season. The Canadian teams next stop is Calgary for the final race of the season, Feb. 9-11. "We work really well together as a team really well," said Fairbairn. "Jon has a ton of knowledge and skill but so does the rest of our team. Jon is coming back next year, which will be even better." Wholesale Hockey Jerseys . On Thursday night, former NHL player Georges Laraque announced he is stepping down as executive director or the group and also also told press agency QMI that Derek Clarke is stepping down as spokesperson. Wholesale NHL Jerseys . Shayne Grahams 32-yard field goal with 2:21 left in overtime lifted Houston to a 34-31 win over the Detroit Lions on Thursday after their coach broke an NFL rule by attempting to challenge a scoring play. http://www.wholesalesportsjerseysshop.com/ . The Rock and Knighthawks will play Dec. 15 at the Bell Centre. It will be the first pro lacrosse played in the city since the short-lived Montreal Express left a decade ago. "The Quebec Lacrosse Federation got involved with this event because we want to contribute in a concrete way to getting a professional lacrosse franchise back in Montreal," federation director Pierre Filion said in a statement. Hockey Jerseys China . Christopher Harner to lead the teams medical staff. Wholesale Jerseys . Pirlo is crucial to Italys success Aside from scoring a wonderful free kick, Italys Andrea Pirlo was at the heart of everything they did going forward against Croatia.GOLD COAST, Australia -- American Alison Walshe birdied the 17th hole for an opening-round 6-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead in the Australian Ladies Masters at Royal Pines on Friday. In second was Jessica Korda, the daughter of former tennis player Petr Korda who won last years Womens Australian Open at Royal Melbourne in a playoff for her first U.S. LPGA Tour victory. Spains Belen Mozo, Australias Stacy Keating, American Dori Carter and Thailands Nontaya Srisawang were two strokes behind with 68s. Walshe was born in Ireland but moved to the United States when she was three. She is in her third year on the U.S. tour. "I guess it was luck of the draw being late, but it was all right," Walshe said of her afternoon start when the course had dried out after heavy rains. "I was up early becauuse of the jet lag, so I had some coffee and went to the gym, and then I got here, had some lunch and warmed up.dddddddddddd It wasnt too bad actually." Seven-time champion Karrie Webb was in a large group with 70s, four strokes behind, in the season-opening event of the Ladies European Tour and Australian circuit. Cheyenne Woods, Tiger Woods niece, shot 74. "Its nice to have the first round of the season under my belt and for it to be a good one, but still a lot of rust to shake off," said Korda, who held the clubhouse lead for most of the day before Walshes late surge. The European and Australian tours will team again next week for the New Zealand Womens Open in Christchurch, then join the U.S. LPGA Tour the following week for the Womens Australian Open at Royal Canberra. ' ' '