Slovenia’s Peter Kauzer (K1M) and Benjamin Savsek (C1M) topped the morning’s heats; their efforts were matched by Spain's rising star Nuria Vilarrubla (C1W) as the opening rounds of the 2016 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Pau, France were contested.

Savsek (SLO), a double-European Champion, set the marker in the C1 Men's heats stopping-the-clock with an impressive 105.62 score.

The 29-year-old has two World Cup victories to his name and finished second in the ICF World Cup series last season.

However, the Slovenian is yet to make a final in on the course in Pau.

Slovakia's Matej Benus trailed Savsek by just zero-point-eight-of-a-second and looked commanding, negotiating the tricky gate-set with ease and progressing to the semifinal at the first time of asking.

Thomas Koechlin (SUI) continues to impress and clocked the third fastest time of the first round heats.

The 24-year-old will be hoping to build on his sliver medal from the first World Cup in Ivrea, Italy.

Vilarrubla (ESP) looks to be unstoppable in the C1 Women's class.

The U23 World Champion put in an opener that bettered the second fastest, Mallory Franklin (GBR), by over nine-seconds.

Seven paddlers went under the 100-second mark in the K1 Men's first round heats.

Slovenia's Peter Kauzer (SLO) was the fastest – 97.53 – and will now take the favoured last run in tomorrow's semifinals.

Poland's Maciej Okreglak, like Kauzer, stopped the clock under the 98-second barrier and secured the second best time of the morning’s heat.

Locals, Mathieu Biazizzo (FRA) and Boris Neveu (FRA) were in the magic seven.

On the other end of the scale, the talented Slovakian Jakub Grigar amassed 300-seconds of penalty points after opting to straight-line from gate 17 following an irretrievable error.

More to follow…

C1 Men
1. Benjamin Savsek (SLO) 105.62
2. Matej Benus (SVK) 105.70 / +0.08     
3. Thomas Koechlin (SUI) (2) 105.86 / +0.24

C1 Women
1. Nuria Vilarrubla (ESP) 116.33
2. Mallory Franklin (GBR) 125.85 / +9.52    
3. Jasmine Royle (GBR) (2) 127.70 / +11.37

K1 Men
1. Peter Kauzer (SLO) 97.53
2. Maciej Okreglak (POL) 97.93 / +0.40     
3. Mathieu Biazizzo (FRA) 98.22 / +0.69