Laffont won a third consecutive World Cup title last season after winning eight events, as well as posting one third-place finish.

The 22-year-old Olympic champion topped the women’s standings in Ruka, as she achieved a score of 79.18 in the final on the famous Battery Run.

The United States’ Jaelin Kauf proved her nearest challenger at the Finnish venue.

Kauf finished as the runner-up with a score of 75.74.

The first podium of the new season was completed by Russia’s Anastasiia Smirnova, who finished on 74.27.

The men’s World Cup season began without reigning champion Mikael Kingsbury, with the Canadian absent after fracturing his T4 and T5 vertebrae.

Kingsbury had topped the podium the past five years in Ruka.

Japan’s Ikuma Horishima led the way in Kingsbury’s absence, with a score of 80.86 enough to top the leaderboard.

Switzerland’s Marco Tade settled for second place having scored 78.93.

Ludvig Fjallstrom of Sweden secured the final podium position, finishing on 76.09.