Frenchman Gargaud Chanut was more than two seconds quicker than the next fastest man in the men’s C1, posting a time of 1min 21.96sec on the Polish city’s Kolna Regatta Course.

Slovakia’s Marko Mirgorodský was second quickest in 1:24.13, while Germany’s Sideris Tasiadis, last week’s World Cup winner in Liptovský Mikuláš in Slovakia, ranked third in 1:24.17.

Great Britain’s Clarke cruised down the men’s K1 course in 1:17.99, putting him 1.14 seconds ahead of Germany’s Sebastian Schubert, last week’s World Cup winner.

Czech Republic’s Vít Přindiš, the winner of the overall World Cup title in 2017, was a further 0.01 seconds back in third.

In the women’s K1, Germany’s Ricarda Funk displayed the form that made her almost unbeatable last year by qualifying fastest in 1:29.07.

She finished just ahead of Britain’s Mallory Franklin, who clocked a time of 1:29.63.

Austria’s Corinna Kuhnle would have once again been quickest, if not for a gate touch which cost her a two-second penalty.

Her final time of 1:30.21 was good enough for third place.

The women’s C1 saw Austria’s Viktoria Wolffhardt top the qualifying standings in 1:34.27.

Brazil’s Ana Sátila was 1.27 seconds behind in second, while Franklin was 2.62 seconds off the pace in third.

The ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup finals are due to be held over the weekend.