The World Cup season has seen 16 different gold medallists from 10 different countries in both the men’s and women’s races so far and this weekend's races are both wide open.

The course in Miyazaki consists of a 3,000 metres swim, 320 kilometres cycle and a 10km run over four laps. 

Leading the start list in the men's race will be Russia’s Igor Polyanskiy.

At the race in Tongyeong last Saturday (October 22), Polyanskiy was unable finish but remains one of the strongest swimmers and cyclists on the start list.

Americans Kevin Mcdowell and Matthew Mcelory have both enjoyed ITU World Cup glory and will be confident of their chances.

Mcelory is certainly a rising star and has earned back-to-back World Cup silver medals in Salinas and Tongyeong.

Mcdowell, meanwhile, finished on the podium in both Chengdu and the Pan American Games in Toronto last year.

Spaniard Uxio Abuin Ares also arrives in good form after he won his first-ever World Cup title in Tongyeong. 

A familiar rivalry is set to resume in the women's race with Japan’s Ai Ueda and Americans Summer Cook and Renee Tomlin lining up against each other for the second time in a week.

They also competed last week in Tongyeong, where they all secured podium berths, with Cook claiming the gold medal as she beat Ueda and Tomlin into second and third. 

Ueda starts the race on top of the World Cup standings and, after taking the silver medal a week ago, will be hoping to end the season with the overall title. 

Cook's victory in Tongyeong was her second World Cup title of the year, having also won in Chengdu in China. 

It has been an outstanding year for the 25-year-old, the highlight of which was winning a debut World Triathlon Series title in Edmonton.

Tomlin has also shown that she could be a threat after winning a World Cup race in Tiszaújváros in Hungary earlier this year.