The host nation's paddler, seen as the poster boy for the event, delighted a full house to win gold in the K1 1,000 metres.

Pimenta, a silver medallist in the K2 1,000m at the London 2012 Olympics, added to the world title he won in Račice last year in the K1 5,000m.

He becomes the first Portuguese athlete to win a world title in an Olympic class event.

"I don't believe it, I can feel my legs failing," he said.

"It's such a crazy moment. 

"I think maybe next week I will believe this moment has happened.

"I slept for nine hours last night because I was so relaxed. 

"I know that this is such an important result for Portugal, a good start for us for the next season."

Pimenta started slowly but powered away in the middle stages to win in 3min 27.666sec.

Germany's Max Rendschmitt and Czech Olympic silver medallist Josef Dostal were second and third respectively.

Elsewhere, there was a superb return to top level competition for Hungary's triple Olympic champion Danuta Kozak who won two titles.

She became the first female canoe sprint athlete to win three gold medals at a single Games when she triumphed in the K1, K2 and K4 500m at Rio 2016, taking her overall Olympic title tally to five.

The brilliant sprinter took time off after Rio to have a baby but the now 13-time world champion returned with a bang in Portugal, winning the K1 500m crown by defeating New Zealand's Lisa Carrington and reigning champion Volha Khudzenka of Belarus, the respective silver and bronze medallists.

Her winning time was 1:47.254, and she then added the K2 spoils with Anna Karasz in 1:43.065.

"It's very hard to get to the top of the world, it takes a lot of training, very hard training," Kozak said.

"I am not the sort of person who feels confidence, I always feel nervous, so I am happy to get a win."

Carrington and Caitlin Ryan were second in the K2 with Jasmin Fritz and Steffi Kriegerstein of Germany third.

German success came in the men's C1 1,000m as triple Olympic champion Sebastian Brendel won his 10th world title in 3:48.390.

It meant he won the event for the fourth time in a row with Czech Martin Fuksa second and Brazil's Isaquias Dos Santos, the winner over 500m yesterday, third.

"This was a very big race for me today because Isaquias was very fast yesterday," Brendel said.

Canada's Laurence Vincent-Lapointe defended her C1 200m title.

She timed in at 45.567 with Russia's Olesia Romasenko second and Dorota Borowska of Poland taking bronze.

Four finals were held in non-Olympic classes with the K2 200m women's title going to Germany's Tina Dietze and Franziska Weber in 37.157.

Kayla Imrie and Aimee Fisher of New Zealand paddled to silver and bronze was clinched by Mariia Kichasova-Skoryk and Anastasiya Horlova of Ukraine.

Hungary's Mark Balaska and Balazs Birkas won the men's K2 200m in 31.873.

Spanish silver was secured by Saul Craviotto and Cristian Toro as Serbia won bronze thanks to Nebojsa Grujic and Marko Novakovic.

In the men's C4 500m, Russia's crew triumphed in 1:35.606 in front of Ukraine and Italy.

Germany also won in a four-man boat, taking the K4 1,000m crown in 2:57.947 over Slovakia and Spain respectively.

Elsewhere, the final three Paracanoe titles were won with Australia's Curtis McGrath wrapping up his second title in two days.

The former Australian Army member lost two legs when stepping on a landmine in Afghanistan, 

He won an eighth world title as he added to the KL2 honours claimed yesterday in the men's VL3 200m.

McGrath raced in a new boat which was considerably shorter than others in the field, winning in 47.642.

"It's nice to be able to do two boats, it keeps it stimulating and exciting at the same time," the Paralympic gold medallist said.

Caio Carvalho of Brazil was second and Britain's Jack Eyers third.

Britain's Emma Wiggs won the women's VL2 despite battling a wrist injury.

It came after she lost her KL3 world crown to teammate Charlotte Henshaw earlier in the week.

Wiggs clocked 57.766 to beat her compatriot Jeanette Chippington into second, with Mariia Nikiforova of Russia third.

Brazil's Igor Tofalini won a maiden world title in the men's VL2 in 54.316.

His compatriot Luis Silva was second with Italy's Marius Ciustea third.

The World Championships conclude tomorrow.