Blummenfelt produced a solid all round performance on the shortened course at the Rathausmarkt, which was comprised of a 300-metre swim, 7.5-kilometre cycle, and 1.75km run.

The format sees the top 10 from two men's and two women's races advance to the final before a repechage round advances 10 more in each.

He clocked in after 19min 45sec in a rapid heat where just five seconds separated the top eight.

The swim was dominated by Australian Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Matthew Hauser who entered the first transition 16 seconds before Blummenfelt. 

However, he was eventually caught up by the Norwegian and New Zealander Hayden Wilde who pipped him at the line, with both registering a time of 19:46.

Portugal's Vasco Vilaca topped the first men's race in 19:55 in another tight encounter that saw Spaniard Antonio Serrat Seoane seal the last qualifying spot four seconds later.

Britain's Beth Potter finished the first women's qualifier in top spot with a 22:05 time as she looks to win her third World Triathlon Championship Series gold medal this season following successes in Abu Dhabi and Montreal.

The sprint continued to produce exciting finishes as there was just five seconds between Potter and Denmark's Alberte Kjær Pedersen in 10th. 

The second qualifier saw all of the top 10 beat Potter's time with Beaugrand leading the bunch after 21:51.

Australian Sophie Linn and Germany's Laura Lindemann where second and third across the line, respectively in 21:52 to keep their chances of becoming one of the first super-sprint world champions.

The men's and women's finals are due to take place tomorrow, starting at the swimming pontoon on the Kleine Alster, in addition to the junior and under-23 mixed relay decider.