John Gregory | @gregiej | Sportscene - It was like a Shakespearean drama start to the 2014 season, tragedy, drama, comedy, thrills and unexpected twists and turns. Here is a review of the Lee Valley World Cup of 2014 and a preview of what to expect in Slovenia later this week.

It is rare to start any World Cup or Worlds race review talking about team races. However, it is a phenomenal achievement by Team GB to sweep all five Team races. It showed immense depth of young talent in the team which bodes well for the future at Worlds and Olympics. It was a truly historic accomplishment. Read the GB Canoeing website piece here.

It is thrilling to see new U23 paddlers burst on to the senior stage. The standout paddlers from Lee Valley were Lu Li (CHN) and Eilidh Gibson (GBR) securing their first podium at a World Cup in K1W and C1W respectively. Lu Li has come from a World Ranking of 103 to take the first World Cup race win of 2014 in K1W. She was 40th at both the Prague and Bratislava Worlds as well as twice previously making the World Cup semi-final in 2012. Through a translator she said that she thought it was amazing for Chinese canoeing. A day earlier her team mate Qianqian Teng had won a silver medal in the C1W.

To the tragedy at Lee Valley was Peter Kauzer’s shoulder injury during his semi-final run. A day earlier he had shown great form and won the K1M heats. Just last year on his home course at the Tacen World Cup, Peter had shown us a master class with his emphatic sub 100 sec winning run.

After his injury Peter posted on Facebook “What can I say. THANK YOU ALL WHO HELPED ME, for all positive thoughts and good wishes and vibes. It is sport and force that gives u wings to push to the limit and sometimes those wings r cut off. I try to look from positive side of this. Now its time for me to calm down gather my thoughts and get full recovery!!! Good luck to all of You paddlers who fight down the course against the force of nature-water!!! I’ll miss being on the start but I’ll cheer for each and everyone of You!!! Cheer Peter”.

When Luka Bozic & Saso Taljat won the C2 final he then posted on Twitter “BOOM!!!!! BRAVO @BozicLuka &@STaljat !!! U've made my day!!! #sloveniaeliteteam #respect #goodtimes”. It was the best tweet of the weekend.

The team confirmed that it looks like the season is lost for him and he might have surgery, but he still needs to do some medical examinations which will determine exactly what to do. His main goal understandably is Rio so his long term rehabilitations seems the most important and so even the Deep Creek World championships may be unlikely.

There was other drama too for C1 U23 World Champion, Roberto Colazingari (ITA) when his decked popped off below the bridge and he too had to retire. Amazingly, in the C2 final when Jakub Jane (CZE) snapped his blade also around gate 10, Ondrej Karlovsky swopped paddles and still competed a clear run to the appreciation of 2,000 spectators at Lee Valley.

Lee Valley WC1 race analysis

Tacen World Cup 2 preview

So turning our attention to the forthcoming World Cup in Tacen here is a brief guide about who to look out for in the respective five classes. We are again on the Sava river in the picturesque town of Ljubljana in the foothills of the Smarna Gora Mountains.

Here is a summary of the 2013 World Cup 4 results from Tacen plus the Sportscene review of the race. Last year I described the Tacen as “always regarded as one of the toughest and most unpredictable courses in the World”. So prepare for another exciting race.

C1M
David Florence (GBR) is exceptionally strong and still improving. He emphasized why he is the current World No.1 with a win at the Lee Valley World Cup race.

Double Olympic Champion Michal Martikán (SVK) has said to expect him at all the key races in 2014. He was mighty disappointed with his bronze at Lee Valley! See his interview with Planet Canoe on Facebook.

The Slovenian’s won the C1M Team race on their home course in 2013 with Anze Bercic winning the individual. Can they repeat?

C1W
World Cup 1 winner and Prague World’s silver medallist Mallory Franklin (GBR) is on great form. She took the silver in Tacen last year.

As noted above we should watch out for Eilidh Gibson (GBR) and Qianqain Teng (CHN) through the rest of these World Cup races after their respective silver and bronze in London.

Lee Valley was not as kind to Jess Fox (AUS) but she comes to Tacen as 2013 World Cup series champion, senior World Champion and 2014 U23 World Champion. Can she repeat her dominance again in Tacen?

Keep a watch too for Caroline Loir (FRA) who recently successfully defended her Senior European Championship title.

K1M
The Lee Valley World Cup was not dominated by either the Czechs or Germans although both show consistency as the top performing teams. German won the K1M team race at Tacen last year. It was also good to see Beijing Olympic Champion Alexander Grimm (GER) back on top form – he would have taken a silver in the final with his semi-final run time!

Peter Kauzer is out of action and we do know that Peter’s place on the Slovenian team is taken by 18 year old Martin Srabotnik who has won two gold and bronze team medals from Junior European and Junior/ U23 World Championships. Janos Peterlin and Martin Albreht both represented Slovenia in the Lee Valley final and will now have the home advantage.

Olympic Champion Daniele Molmenti (ITA) confirms he will be back in action, while Vavra Hradilek again will not be racing.

K1W
A wide open class where any number of the top athletes could win. In Tacen in 2013, Corinna Kuhnle (AUT) won the heat and a silver medal in the final. Jess Fox (AUS) won the semi-final and final while local Eva Tercelj took bronze. She was one of many to pick up a 50 second penalty in the Lee Valley K1W semi-final and miss the cut to the final.

Keep watching China’s Lu Li after her World Cup 1 win following her U23 Worlds silver medal. Ricarda Funk (GER) has won 2014 U23 European title this year in Vienna.

We also hope to see K1W Teams in Tacen this year after they were cancelled after the final was rerun.

C2
World No.4 C2 crew from Slovenia Luka Bozic and Saso Taljat had the perfect start to the World Cup series in London. They should be favourites for a consecutive win on their home course. While they missed the Prague final they showed great consistency through the 2013 World Cup series finishing 2nd overall.

David Florence & Richard Hounslow reigning World Champion were strong at Lee Valley but enable to convert to a podium in the final. They will wish to improve upon their 10th place in Tacen last year.

It was an all European final again at Lee Valley although Devin McEwan & Casey Eichfeld from the US looked close to making a World Cup final.

Tacen World Cup Race 2 format:

• Friday June 13th – Heats K1M, C1M, C1W, K1W and C2
• Saturday June 14th – Semi-finals & finals K1M, C1M & C1W plus teams
• Sunday June 15th – Semi-finals & finals K1W & C2 plus teams

More information is available at http://tacen.worldcup.events.slalom.canoeicf.com/  and here is a link to a summary of the Slovenian team results since independence. http://tacen.worldcup.events.slalom.canoeicf.com/en/race-results/ljubljana-tacen-world-cup-medallists-1995-2013 Again look and use #canoeslalomworldcup on Twitter.

Live results and tweets will be posted to www.sportscene.tv/liveresults.