The Austrian, a double world champion in the K1 and the European champion this year, stormed through qualifying with a performance which was six seconds faster than her nearest rival.

She clocked 91.67 seconds at the Italian course to lay down a marker before the later stages.

"I felt good coming here and I was excited to be on the start line again," the 30-year-old said.

"I did a lot of training here last year leading up to our Olympic selections, so I knew this course pretty well coming here today."

Australia's two-time Olympic medallist Jessica Fox was second quickest today in 97.69.

In the men's K1, Italian Zeno Ivaldi made the most of home conditions to top the qualification standings.

He was timed at 87.83 as Poland's Maciej Okreglak finished 1.02 seconds behind him.

Ivaldi said that he had been ill prior to the competition, making his performance more impressive.

"I didn't feel really good this morning because I had a fever, but then I just said 'okay, I know this course, I just have to do an ordinary run to qualify,'" he said.

"It's always fun to race at home, to wake up in your own bed, go down to the course, find your friends - it's so much fun like this."

Fox was the quickest qualifier in the women's C1, despite a late penalty for touching a gate.

The Australian finished in 113.52 to pip Austrian Viktoria Wolffhardt, who went clean, by just 0.17 seconds.

Slovakia's Olympic silver medallist Matej Benus was quickest in the men's C1, clocking 93.55.

This was half-a-second faster than Italy's Roberto Colazingari.

Czech duo Jonas Kaspar and Marek Sindler stopped the watches at 101.00 to top the men's C2 standings.

Germany’s Robert Behling and Thomas Becker, who had to have a second run after breaking their paddle in the first, were second quickest.

The World Cup continues tomorrow.