Three world champions and five world ranking leaders are among the competitors in the Austrian city, which is playing host to a Karate1-Premier League tournament for the sixth consecutive year.

Pan American champion Antonio Diaz will be looking to impress in his second appearance of the season having last featured at the Karate1-Premier League tournament in Paris in January.

The Venezuelan star is expected to clash with Spain’s Damian Quintero in his quest for the gold medal in the men’s kata competition.

While Quintero has clinched two gold medals in Karate1-Premier League events this season, Diaz is eyeing the top of the podium in the international competition for the first time in two years.

Spain’s Sandra Sanchez will try to extend her domination in the women’s kata after winning in Sharm el-Sheikh and Dubai, but the European champion will no doubt face stiff competition from Kiyou Shimizu.

The Japanese world champion, 22, has clinched gold medals in each of her six appearances in international tournaments, including the Karate1-Premier League event in Paris.  

In the women’s kumite under 55 kilograms category, Italy’s Sara Cardin will be hoping to take top honours after her silver medal in Dubai last weekend.

The Netherlands’ Geoffrey Berens and Japan’s Ryutaro Araga, both World Championship silver medallists, are the leading names in the men’s kumite under 60kg category.

Malaysia’s Syakilla Salni Jefry Krishnan, also a world runner-up, is the one to beat in the women’s kumite under 55kg.

The finals on Sunday (April 17) will be broadcast live on the World Karate Federation’s YouTube channel here.