The last time the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup came to Ivrea in northern Italy it was just before the Rio Olympics, and local paddler Giovanni De Gennaro stole the show and confirmed he was the best man to represent his country in Brazil.

Before he even took to the water that weekend his ticket had been booked, but by coming from last place in the final to snare gold he finally laid to rest any doubts that he was Italy’s best chance of a Rio medal.

At the start of 2016 it was naturally assumed Daniele Molmenti, the London 2012 K1 Olympic gold medallist, would earn the chance to defend his medal for Italy in Rio.

But very few people reckoned on De Gennaro, who kept coming out and finishing ahead of Molmenti in the races that mattered. There’s very little room for sentiment when it comes to the Olympics, and De Gennaro’s form could not be ignored.

He went on to finish seventh in the K1 in Rio.

This weekend the now 25-year-old Italian competes in front of an adoring home crowd as an Olympian, current Ivrea World Cup title holder, and winner at the most recent World Cup in Markkleeberg.

Some athletes might find that a little daunting, watching and hearing fans who have brought their party hats ready to celebrate when, not if, the local lad gets the gold.

“It’s strange, I think it is the only place where people come to the riverside to watch me,” De Gennaro said.

“That’s fine, I really like it. There’s no pressure, it’s an honour.

“I feel great, it’s my home course, I’m really happy to see so many people paddling here and to enjoy the whitewater with them.”

Ivrea can leave the first-time paddlers a little spellbound. During training on Thursday it was easy to spot the athletes competing on the course for the first time; they were the ones sitting on the side of the course, ensnared by the addictive beauty of a course rolling through the centre of an old city.

Of course De Gennaro agrees Ivrea is one of the most beautiful canoe slalom courses in the world, and he’ll happily embrace the role of de-facto tourism spruiker to anyone willing to listen.

But he has no need to stop and admire the scenery these days. He’s probably been down this waterway more than anyone else competing this weekend so the stunning surrounds have become quite matter-of-fact for him.

Which is good for everyone else, because he’s happy to share tips about the course that he’s picked up while they’ve all been distracted by the panorama.

“I really like the pressure of the water, it’s hard to keep the line, but when you keep it, it’s so fast it almost feels like flying,” he said.

“It’s all about timing. Everyone should focus on that.”

“Last year some guys didn’t come because of the Olympics, and this year there are some more competitive people,” he said.

“It will be fun. I’m looking forward to seeing them race on this course.”

De Gennaro knows how important it is for the locals to perform well this weekend, to build on the legacy created by Molmenti’s 2012 gold medal and to ensure the sport continues to grow.

“It’s getting better. It’s still not a big sport, but after Daniele won the Olympics it started to grow,” he said.

“This city is getting a lot of kids. I think it is growing.

“It’s still not the best sport in Italy, but hopefully we will get in higher positions.”

The 2017 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup 4 begins in Ivrea on Friday and runs through until Sunday.