The goals flew in as Great Britain chalked up three wins on day one of the 2024 ICF Canoe Polo World Championships, in China.
The championships opened with the under-21s group stages in Deqing where the British men opened with two wins from two, easing past the Netherlands 4-0 before thrashing Australia 7-1.
It puts them top of Group C on goal difference from reigning European champions Italy who they will meet on Wednesday.
Poppy Clews scored five and Emmy-Lou Hussin netted four times as Britain’s women’s under 21s hammered Thailand 14-2.
The world number six-ranked side followed this with a disappointing 3-3 draw with Australia before pushing the defending champions New Zealand all the way in a late 4-3 defeat.
It leaves them third in Group B behind unbeaten New Zealand and Spain.
GB men’s U21s were straight into the action as they took on the Netherlands in the championship opener.
A clinical start saw Flynn Hammond calm any nerves in the third minute with a close-range finish.
And they took control of an understandably cagey first half, as Hammond’s long ball sent Toby Marlow clear to finish a rapid break, and he added a carbon-copy third shortly before half-time.
Skipper Angus Boyle broke clear to give Marlow a simple finish for his hat-trick just 35 seconds after the break.
The Brits’ solid defence held off the Dutch to complete a 4-0 win.
Marlow was quickly into his stride in their second match against Australia, opening the scoring from close-range before Henry Metcalfe doubled the lead with another lightning break.
Cameron Booth halved the deficit, but Jake Searle quickly restored the two-goal cushion and was then left all alone to score his second on the counter.
The GB man was denied by the goal frame and a point-blank save, but duly completed his hat-trick four seconds before half-time for 5-1.
An outrageous flicked finish from Flynn Hammond made it six, and after wasting more chances to boost their goal difference, Searle returned from the sinbin to add his fourth and GB’s seventh.
A young GB women’s U21 side, with an average age of 17, opened their campaign in emphatic style with a big win over wild card entries Thailand.
Suchanat Sungjan gave the Thais a shock early lead, but skipper Leena de Mul capped a fast break to equalise and Emmy-Lou Hussin then drove GB ahead.
Hussin completed a first-half hat-trick and Poppy Clews and Evie McNamara opened their accounts, while Sungjan claimed her second as GB cruised into a 6-2 half-time lead.
A three-minute treble for Clews quickly took her tally to four goals and GB reached double figures when McNamara struck again.
GB pressed high, eyeing a chance to boost their goal difference and further scores from de Mul, Hussin, Clews, and Molly Fletcher completed a clinical 14-2 victory.
They next faced an Australia U21 side making their world championship bow
The debutants enjoyed more territory and possession in the first half, but the British defended well and had the edge on the scoreboard thanks to Poppy Clews’ fifth-minute opener from range.
An even second half burst into life when Australia rattled the frame and then levelled through Beth Hewett before Evie McCullough was shown a green card.
Down to four players, GB restored their lead when McNamara finished a quick break.
But Jess Harmer quickly levelled the scores and then put Australia in front for the first time with less than two minutes to go.
GB’s luck seemed out when an effort struck the sidebar, but Leena de Mul pounced from the rebound to earn a point.
A long opening day culminated in their toughest challenge against New Zealand.
The defending world champions had scored 16 goals in winning their opening two matches and were ahead after just 33 seconds through Meghan Broad.
Emmy-Lou Hessin levelled from close in just 30 seconds later, but Kaitlyn Adams floated in a long-range shot to restore the New Zealanders’ advantage.
The British response was quick once again as Jessie Hurtt stole in to equalise after patient build-up.
GB were twice denied the lead by the goal frame, while a string of fine McNamara saves, including a super one-on-one stop, kept the scores level at the break.
New Zealand rocked the goalframe, and McNamara produced more fine saves before Britain hit the front for the first time, Poppy Clews firing in off the post with just three minutes left.
After Hayley Austin had tied the scores, Clews fired into the side-netting when well placed.
And it was the world number two ranked side who edged an entertaining match when Broad found the smallest gap in the GB defence to net the winner, 70 seconds from time.
You can follow all the action on the Planet Canoe YouTube Channel here
Day Two fixtures (BST times) –
1:00am – GB Women v China
2:10am – GB Men v USA
3:20am – GB Men U21 v Taipei
5:05am – GB Women U21 v Spain
6:15am – GB Men v Poland
7:25am – GB Men U21 v Italy
9:10am – GB Women U21 v Singapore
9:45am – GB Women v Germany