Slalom and giant slalom races will be held before the Worlds get underway in Tarvisio in Italy on Sunday (January 22).

Most of the leaders in the men’s sitting, standing and visually impaired competitions will compete in Slovenia.

Slovakia’s Miroslav Haraus tops the men’s visually impaired slalom standings with guide Maros Hudik on 280 points, having won races at two World Cup stages already this season, including last weekend in Innerkrems in Austria.

His other victory arrived in Swiss resort St Moritz last month.

Italy’s Giacomo Bertagnolli lies narrowly behind in second place on 260 points, while Spaniard Yon Santacana Maiztegui completes the top three on 105.

In the visually impaired giant slalom Haraus’ team-mate Jakub Krako, guided by Branislav Brozman, leads the field with 250 points.

Maiztegui and guide Miguel Galindo and Haraus are tied in second place just 15 points behind.

In the men's giant slalom standing, the United States’ Thomas Walsh has continued his success from his debut 2015-16 campaign into the current season.

It was in Kranjska Gora one year ago where he claimed his first World Cup podium, and he now leads the rankings on 280 points.

Australia’s Mitchell Gourley is currently second on 272, while Slovakia's Martin France completes the top three on 269.

Austria’s Roman Rabl has stormed ahead in the men’s giant slalom sitting.

However, as Germany’s Georg Kreiter prepares to defend his world title in Tarvisio, he could prove to be a difficult opponent.

Another Slovakian skier, Paralympic champion and World Cup leader Henrieta Farkasova, headlines the women’s visually impaired giant slalom field.

Farkasova, who won three Paralympic gold medals at Vancouver 2010 and another two at Sochi 2014, currently shares top spot with Britain's Millie Knight on 340 points.

Another British skier, the Paralympic super-G champion Kelly Gallagher, completes the top three but is way behind the leaders on 170.

In the absence of Germany’s World Cup leader Andrea Rothfuss, The Netherlands’ Anna Jochemsen has the chance to claim the lead at the top of the women’s slalom standing.

Jochemsen is just 50 points behind Rothfuss.

However, Canada’s Alana Ramsay will also seek to go top of the standings as she trails Jochemsen by a mere 10 points.

In the giant slalom sitting, just 80 points separate Austria’s Claudia Loesch, Germany’s Anna-Lena Forster and her world and Paralympic champion teammate Anna Schaffelhuber.

Racing gets underway in Kranjska Gora tomorrow with the giant slalom events.

Two separate slalom races will then take place on Thursday (January 19) and Friday (January 20).

The World Championships are set to feature 140 skiers from 30 countries, in what will be the last major competition before the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang.