It is the first of this year’s three stages with the series heading to Poznan in Poland between June 16 and 18 before concluding in Lucerne in Switzerland between July 7 and 9.

The regatta, due to be held on the Sava Lake, has attracted rowers from 26 nations with the biggest contingents coming from The Netherlands, Poland and Great Britain.

Among the medal prospects this weekend are a number of athletes that won medals and competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Damir Martin from Croatia, the silver medallist in the men's single sculls at Rio 2016, crossed the line just fractions of a second behind eventual champion Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand at the Games.

Martin is back in the singles event this season and will be the favourite for gold with Drysdale absent.

He will still face tough competition as he lines up against fellow countryman Martin Sinkovic, the Rio 2016 gold medallist in the men’s double sculls.

Britain's Olympic champion in the men’s four Mohamed Sbihi will also compete and will be joined by William Satch, a gold medallist in the men's eight at Rio 2016, Matthew Tarrant and Stewart Innes. 

They will face tough competition from The Netherlands, who finished fifth at Rio 2016.

Ireland’s O’Donovan brothers Paul and Gary are set to compete in the lightweight men's double sculls following their Olympic silver medal performance.

The O’Donovans will face Britain's experienced duo Peter Chambers and Will Fletcher.

In the lightweight women’s double sculls, London 2012 Olympic Champion Katherine Copeland is competing alongside Charlotte Booth.

They will face Rio Olympians Weronika Deresz and Martyna Mikolajczak of Poland.

The women’s single sculls competition includes Olympian Magdalena Lobnig of Austria and Rio 2016 silver medallist Victoria Thornley of Great Britain.

Bronze medallist from the Rio doubles event, Milda Valciukaite of Lithuania, will also be in the single sculls race.

In 2016, the World Rowing Cup series was won by New Zealand with Great Britain second and The Netherlands coming third.

Racing begins tomorrow with a number of heats before action then progresses through to the repechages and semi-finals and finals, which will bring the event to a close on Sunday (May 7).