Brendel, a five-time world champion, has been unbeaten since 2013 in the C1 1000 metre category and he appeared in no danger of losing his grip today.

The 28-year-old eased through his semi-final in front of rampant home support. 

Brazilian prodigy Isaquias Queros Dos Santos was similarly successful as he begins a season which he hopes will end wih home Olympic gold.

Moldova's Serghei Tarnovschi will be a dark horse tomorrow after winning the third of the three semi-finals.

Carrington, also a five-time world champion who has been virtually unbeatable in the kayak class in recent seasons. was similarly comfortable in the K1 200m, qualifying along with team-mate Aimee Fisher.

There was plenty for the home crowd to cheer as Germany's Max Hoff won his K1 1000m semi-final, while double world champions Max Rendschmidt and Marcus Gross look the K2 1000m team to beat.

Other K1 1000m winners were Serbia's Dejan Pajic, Belarus' Aleh Yurenia and Denmark's René Holten Poulsen.


Olympic gold medallists Franziska Weber and Tina Dietze also won their opening heat on home waters and progress straight to the K2W 500m final.

They will face strong opposition from the likes of team-mates, Sabrina Hering and Steffi Kriegerstein, and Polish powerhouses Karolina Naja and Beata Mikolajczyk.

In a week which has seen Britain's Ed McKeever miss out on a chance to defend his Olympic K1 200m title, team-mates Liam Heath and Jonathan Schofield impressively won their K2 200m semi-final.

Action will continue with the first of the A-finals tomorrow morning.