Shani Davis shatters course record at Berlin World Cup

REIGNING Olympic champion Shani Davis smashed the course record on the way to 1000m gold at the season-opening World Cup in Berlin on Friday.

The 27-year-old, who topped the podium over 1000m in Turin, clocked 1:08.53 minutes to cruise to an emphatic victory over Russia's Yevgeny Lalenkov, who crossed the line in 1:09.11.

Mun Joon of South Korea was third while Canada's Denny Morrison stumbled on his way round and was forced to settle for sixth.

However, that was still enough for the Canadian to ensure his qualification for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next February.

South Korea dominated proceedings in the 500m with Olympic bronze medallist Lee Kang-Seok and Lee Kyou-Hyuk taking gold and silver respectively. Bronze went to Keiichiro Nagashina of Japan.

In the women's 3000m another course record fell as Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic romped home in 4:00.75.

Japan's Masako Hozumi was second, nearly a full six seconds behind Sablikova while Germany's Stephanie Beckert was third.

Five-time Olympic champion Claudia Pechstein of Germany did not compete as a result of a doping suspension.