Nick Harding | @HardingNicolaas | Sportscene - Our young canoe stars arrived in Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia the day before last, demonstration events yesterday afternoon, opening ceremony last night, the 2013 Junior Worlds are here and Day 1 is off as we speak.

The young guns are here to compete on the second oldest artificial slalom course in the world (built 1978) at the Andrej Cibak Whitewater Stadium – Augsburg is the more senior.

Opened by the Slovak Minister of Sport, the opening ceremony at 6pm last night was nothing short of pulsating with life and excitement, Ireland's Aislng Conlan had her green fingernails at the ready!

20 gates, a 7.5m drop, the River Vah has 2 channels merging into a central Y-shape culminating with a finish line overlooked by a tall, domineering seated stadium added only last year – this is a tough, gruelling, energy-sapping course that makes champions.

It is home to a true slalom great, Michal Martikán, In C1M he participated in 5 Olympic Games (1996-2012) gained 16 World Championship medals, more than any other slalom paddler and was overall World Cup winner four times.

500 competitors from 45 countries will be and some already are competing in the two age categories. It's a proud occasion for C1W too, Facebook photos of the 62 young women from 25 countries are appearing left right and centre.

This is a staggering increase from last year where young paddlers from 27 countries competed at the Worlds on the Wisconsin River, USA; the event was based in downtown Wausau. Here it was Czech Republic that were supreme overall with 13 medals (4 Gold, 4 Silver, 5 Bronze), second Australia with 5 (4 Gold, 1 Silver) and France with 2 more at 7 (2 Gold, 3 Silver, 3 Bronze); GB finished 7th and Slovakia joint 8th with Russia.

This year all categories are wide open where the level of performance by young paddlers just keeps getting better and better.

In K1M U23 last year Jiri Prskavec (CZE) was crowned top dog, Lukas Mayr (ITA) next with America's Richard Powell third.

K1W U23 last year was won by Kudejova (CZE), Sportscene's Nouria Newman (FRA) took  number 3 slot with fellow country-woman Estelle Mangin (FRA) in fifth. Lizzie Neave (GBR) is another one to watch out for with a podium finish in second at La Seu d'Urgell and a solid win at Cardiff.

C1M U23 last year; 1st Roberto Colazingari (ITA), second Franz Anton (GER) who Sportscene interviewed at World Cup 1 in Cardiff with third going to Anze Bercic (SLO). Britain's Adam Burgess, one half of the third C2M boat with Greg Pitt, finished fourth in 2012 – Adam has just had surgery and is in rehab, therefore he isn't competing this year; we wish you a quick recovery sir!

Sportscene's Ros Lawrence (AUS) won C1W in Wisconsin but this year the field is red hot, anyone could win: Jess Fox took double Gold at La Seu d'Urgell and Ausburg with Silver at Cardiff, there's Kimberley Woods (GBR) Gold at Cardiff, Bronze Augsburg, not forgetting her team-mate Mallory Franklin (GBR) Bronze, Cardiff and Silver World Cup 2 Augsburg, then there's also Viktoria Wolffhardt (AUT) who surprised herself and us by earning a podium finish at the European Championships in Krakow and a Bronze at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics.

C2M U23 was won in 2012 by Germans Becker and Behling with a Czech-Poland-Czech-Poland order for 2nd to 5th places. That would be an impressive feat to repeat!

Semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday and final Sunday. Heats started this morning and the juniors are competiting at this moment (4pm).

News so far:

• Jess Fox (AUS) wins C1W heats with fastest run down, Nuria Villarubia (ESP) second and Jancova (CZE) sitting in third.
• Kimberley Woods 10 seconds clear in first in C1W Junior Heats.
• K1M U23 American Smolen laid down the fastest heat, De (ITA), Brus (SLO) and Schweikert (GER) hot on his tail after two heats.
• Eastern Europeans dominate C2M U23 heat; Karlovsky and Jane (CZE) winning heat 1 with 110.23 with Brzezinski's (POL) nustling in 1-second behind the number 2 position.

A full round up of the day's action will follow. Keep your eyes peeled on the Sportscene homepage ticker. The sun's out and the action's hotting up!

Live results: www.sportscene.tv/liveresults