Upperton, a 26-year-old pilot from Calgary, along with Moyse, a 27-year-old brakeman from Summerside, P.E.I., captured the bronze medal in their Canada 1 sled in a two-run time of one minute 54.18 seconds.
"I'm so excited to have done this in Calgary," said a beaming Upperton, who came from behind after sitting fifth after the first run.
"It's a great start to the season. I think I'm the luckiest pilot in Canada; I've got (brakemen) Heather Moyse and Kaillie Simundson pushing me this season."
The triumph represented Canada's third trip to the World Cup podium in women's bobsleigh, with former national team member Christina Smith also winning two bronze medals in Igls, Austria, during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons.
The gold-medal honours went to the German tandem of pilot Sandra Kiriasis and brakeman Anja Schneiderheinze, who clocked a two-run total of 1:53.36.
The powerhouse Germans also won the world championships at Canada Olympic Park last season.
Shauna Rohbock and Valerie Fleming of the United States took the silver with an aggregate time of 1:54.04.
Now in her third season with the national team, and her first as pilot of the Canada 1 sled, Upperton teamed up with Moyse last month to claim their first Canadian title of their careers.
Upperton's previous best World Cup result occurred last season at Lake Placid, N.Y. when she finished eighth.
For Moyse, Thursday's race was her first World Cup event since she took up bobsleigh after being recruited from the Canadian national rugby team.
"I don't think I understand how big this is for our program," said Moyse. "I'm sure it will hit me soon, but it is so surreal to me right now. I'm supposed to be overseas at a rugby camp right now and here I am on the podium."
In other Canadian results, Lesa Mayes-Stringer of North Battleford, Sask., and Nadine Walker of Borden, Sask., finished 11th in the Canada 2 sled in 1:54.71; Suzanne Gavine-Hlady of Barrie, Ont., and Jaime Cruickshank of Saskatoon finished 13th in 1:54.80; and Amanada Stepenko of Edmonton and Jill Salus, of Coleman, Alta., were 20th in 1:57.12.
The bronze medal performance on Thursday night by Upperton and Moyse brings Canada's medal count to three in as many events at the Calgary Cup for bobsleigh and skeleton.
Mellisa Hollingsworth-Richards won gold in the women's skeleton on Wednesday and Jeff Pain added a bronze in the men's skeleton earlier Thursday.
The event continues on Friday with Canada's Pierre Lueders competing in the men's two-man bobsleigh. The four-man bobsleigh is scheduled for Saturday.
with files from Calgary Olympic Development Association
