More than 250 rowers from 24 countries are set to participate in the 2022 Beach Sprint Finals, making it the largest field since the inaugural edition in 2019 in China.

Giovanni Ficarra of Italy is the firm favourite in the CM1x category.

The defending champion, who won the lightweight men’s pair world title in the Czech Republic last month will be eyeing back-to-back titles in Wales.

Karl Schulze of Germany, a two-time Olympic champion will be one of his main competitors along with Canadian Aubrey Oldham and Sweden’s Dennis Gustavsson, who won the men’s double coastal title last week.

Among women, two-time Olympic champion Helen Glover of Britain and Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Emma Twigg of New Zealand will be making their beach sprint debuts.

They can expect fierce competition from Poland’s Agnieszka Kobus-Zawojska and Ireland’s Monika Dukarska.

Spain’s Teresa Diaz Moreno, who cruised to a women’s coxed quadruple sculls title at the Coastal Championships, will also challenge for the women’s CW1x title in Saundersfoot.

Reigning world champions Ander Martin and Esther Briz Zamorano of Spain are most likely to win the CMix2x category with stiff competition from Polish duo Maciej and Zawojski and Agnieszka Kobus-Zawojska.

The event is set to conclude on Sunday (October 16).