After enduring a year of cancellations and postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic, competitors returned to international action in Tacen in Slovenia.

Sixteen-year-old Leibfarth showed no ill-effects from the prolonged competition break as she posted the fastest times in both the canoe and kayak today.

Her time of 85.44sec in the K1 women's race was more than three seconds quicker than nearest rival Ana Satile, a two-time Olympian.

Leibfarth was also more than four seconds faster than France’s Lucie Prious in the C1 women's race as she looks to get in among the medals.

"I haven’t raced since February, so having today as a bit of a throwaway day is really good for getting back in the scheme of things, and remembering how to race," Leibfarth said.

"Last year I won bronze here at the World Cup in C1, so it’s great to be coming back just because I do have so many great memories. It’s one of my favourite courses in Europe."

Joseph had never progressed beyond the heats of a senior international race, but will find himself in the semi-finals after an impressive day in the kayak.

The 19-year-old posted a time of 76.26 to finish five hundredths of a second ahead of Slovenian Vid Kuder Marušič while France’s Mathieu Desnos came home in third in the K1 men's heats.

There was also an intriguing clash between Slovenian teammates Luka Bozic and Benjamin Savsek in the C1 men’s heats as they battle it out for the one available spot at next year’s rearranged Olympic Games in Tokyo in Japan.

Bozic came out on top in the heats, winning in 80.36, three hundredths of a second ahead of Savsek who suffered a two-second penalty for a gate touch.

"We are all the time fighting to see who is going to be the best, and I really wanted to race at the international level so I missed this a lot," Bozic said.

"I think we all missed this racing. A lot of countries had to stay at home, so this is not the World Cup which I expect, but still I’m really happy that I am here today, back at home, healthy and trying my best."

The semi-finals and finals of the men’s and women’s kayak will take place tomorrow, with the canoe finals on Sunday.

Jean-Michel Prono, ICF’s committee chairman, said he was delighted to see the return of competitive action after a "frustrating" 2020.

"We said goodbye after last year’s World Championships in La Seu, and now this is the first time we have been able to come together since then," Prono said.

"It’s been not only frustrating, but also there has been uncertainty. That’s the most complicated parameter to meet for the athletes."

Last month saw the European Canoe Slalom Championships take place in Prague in Czech Republic.

The ICF is also hoping to run a second World Cup event in Pau in France next month.