Matej Benus (SVK, C1M), Nuria Vilarrubla (ESP, C1W) and Michal Smolen (USA, K1M) completed the tricky Tacen channel quickest as the morning's opening rounds of the 2016 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Final concluded on Slovenia’s premiere slalom course.

Benus, Silver medallist in Rio just a few weeks ago, put down a faultless run that secured top spot ahead of a star studded entry.

Casey Eichfeld (USA) also impressed and stopped-the-clock just zero-point-eight-five-of-a-second behind the world number one, Benus.

Meanwhile, Spain’s 24-year-old Vilarrubla looked imperious in the C1 Women’s class with a stunning run that, despite two-second penalty on gate-2, was over four-seconds quicker than multiple world champion Jessica Fox (AUS) who eased through in a comfortable second.

The Men’s K1 was the usual tight affair with the top five split by just over a second as each crossed the line of the 20-Gate course clean to enure progression.

Smolen was the top of the pile, followed swiftly by local hero and recently crowned Olympic Silver medallist, Peter Kauzer (SLO).

Watch the action on the video links below.

C1 Men Heats First Run

1 Matej BENUS (SVK) 0 106.01
2 Casey EICHFELD (USA) 0 106.86    +0.85
3 Nicolas PESCHIER (FRA) 0 107.20 +1.19    Q    
4 Pierre-Antoine TILLARD (FRA) 0 107.64    +1.63
5 Jure LENARCIC (SLO) 0 107.96 +1.95
6 Nico BETTGE (GER) 0 108.60 +2.59
7 Alexander SLAFKOVSKY (SVK) 0 108.97 +2.96
8 Anze BERCIC (SLO) 0 110.03 +4.02
9 Benjamin SAVSEK (SLO)    2 111.34 +5.33    
10 Ryan WESTLEY    (GBR)    0 111.89 +5.88

C1 Women Heats First Run

1 Nuria VILARRUBLA (ESP) 2 127.79
2 Jessica FOX (AUS) 0 132.24 +4.45
3 Mallory FRANKLIN (GBR) 2 133.27 +5.48
4 Jasmine ROYLE (GBR) 6 140.39 +12.60    
5 Tereza FISEROVA (CZE)    4 142.95 +15.16    
6 Annebel VAN DER KNIJFF (ESP) 0 143.64    +15.85
7 Viktoria WOLFFHARDT (AUT)    4 145.15 +17.36    
8 Claire JACQUET (FRA) 6 145.96    +18.17
9 Sona STANOVSKA (SVK) 2 146.67    +18.88
10 Alja KOZOROG (SLO) 6 148.59    +20.80    

K1 Men Heats First Run

1 Michal SMOLEN (USA) 0 100.90    
2 Peter KAUZER (SLO) 0  101.11 +0.21          
3 Vit PRINDIS (CZE) 0 101.58 +0.68          
4 Sebastian SCHUBERT (GER) 0 102.00 +1.10    
5 Giovanni DE GENNARO (ITA) 0  102.18 +1.28     
6 Zeno IVALDI (ITA) 2 102.84 +1.94      
7 Martin ALBREHT (SLO) 0 103.14 +2.24     
8 Lubos HILGERT (CZE) 0 103.37 +2.47     
9 Dariusz POPIELA (POL) 0 104.54 +3.64      
10 Samuel HERNANZ(ESP) 2 105.32 +4.42