Six-time world champion Dukurs delivered in front of a home crowd at the event, which is serving as a dual European Championships and final World Cup race.

Dukurs posted the fastest two runs of the men’s skeleton event.

He achieved a time of 50.15 seconds in the opening run, before recording a track record 49.94 with his final effort.

The combined total of 1min 40.09sec was enough to clinch victory ahead of his brother Tomass, who finished 0.81 off the pace in second.

Olympic champion Yun Sung-bin of South Korea rounded off the top three in 1:41.15.

Germany’s Felix Keisinger would secure the European Championship bronze after placing fourth in the competition in 1:41.38.

Three wins in the final four races of the season saw Martins Dukurs jump to the top of the World Cup standings with 1,665 points.

Russia’s Alexander Tretiakov and Yun completed the World Cup podium with 1,603 and 1,581.

“This was an important race from the very beginning of the season,” said Dukurs, who has now earned 11 European titles and six overall World Cup wins.

“I never really had competitions here in Sigulda.

“Thanks to my team, family and the huge crowd of fans today.”

Latvian spectators were then able to toast Latvia's first Winter Olympic Games gold medal, with Oskars Melbārdis, Arvis Vilkaste, Daumants Dreiškens and Jānis Strenga receiving their upgraded Sochi 2014 medals.

The quartet were upgraded from silver after the disqualification of Alexander Zubkov, who led the Russian quartet which claimed gold.

Zubkov was also stripped of the two-man bobsleigh title for his role in the state-sponsored doping scandal.

Melbārdis and Dreiškens also received bronze in the two-man event, after being upgraded from their original fifth place finish due to the disqualification of Zubkov and the second Russian crew.

Further Latvian success came in the first first of back-to-back two-man bobsleigh competitions.

Oskars Kibermanis and Matiss Miknis earned their maiden World Cup win in a time of 1:39.20.

Olympic and world champion Francesco Friedrich won silver with Martin Grothkopp in 1:39.27, while Canada's  Justin Kripps and Ben Coakwell placed third in 1:39.53.

The second place finish was enough to ensure Friedrich of the two-man World Cup title, adding to his earlier four-man triumph.

The German pilot has a 264 point lead over Kripps, with only 255 available in the next race. 

The second race, which will take place tomorrow, will determine the European title.