Japan's Toyoki Takeda set the world's fastest time of the season in winning the men's 500 meters at a World Cup speed skating race in Calgary on Sunday.

Takeda, who took second in the 1,000 the previous day in a new national record, clocked a time of 34.62 seconds in the final's first pairing at the Olympic Oval and stayed on top to win his first-ever World Cup title.

Gerard van Velde of the Netherlands was second in 34.88 while Canada's Jeremy Wotherspoon was third a further 0.05 back.

In Division B, Japan's reigning Olympic champion and world record holder, Hiroyasu Shimizu, guaranteed a return to the top flight for the next World Cup race, winning in 35.30.

In the women's events, Olympic champion Catriona LeMay-Doan of Canada came home in 37.22 to shave 0.07 off her own 500-meter world record for her fourth win of the season.