Coastal rowers, often referred to as the "mountain bikers" of the sport, compete in seaworthy, self-bailing rowing boats.

Races are over a longer course than Olympic rowing regattas, with the action on the open sea requiring wave navigation and buoy turns.

This year's heats will take place on a four kilometre course with five turns, while the finals will be raced over six kilometres with six turns.

Due to the large number of entries in Monaco, racing will start on October 20 with qualification races.

Heats will then take place on October 21 with finals on October 22.

Monaco regularly plays host to coastal rowing events, including the Prince Albert II Challenge held annually in February.

The coastline in the principality is seen as the perfect setting for such an event, as it offers the rowers good waves and challenging conditions.

The largest field of entrants is in the men’s double sculls competition, where there are 74 entries including 19 French rowers.

Among the names are a number of Olympic and international-level rowers, including Olympian brothers Nikolas and Apostolos Gkountoulas of Greece. 

The men’s solo event welcomes 2014 world champion Peter Burg of Sweden, along with 2015 world champion Miramon Quiroga Adrian of Spain who will return to defend his title.

Adrian and Burg will compete against 63 other competitors, making it the second-largest field of the six boat classes. 

The women’s double sculls has the highest number of female category entries with 36.

In 2015, France’s Diane Delalleau and Nathalie Collet won gold, and will have to hold off 2015 silver medallists Kimberly Forde and Maria del mar Ferrer Sanchez of Spain this year.

The one to beat in the women’s solo will be Jessica Berra of France, as she has claimed World Championship titles in both 2014 and 2015. 

Coastal rowing was one of the successes of the Asian Beach Games, which closed in Danang in Vietnam on Sunday (October 2).