The American, the leader of the WTS rankings having triumphed at the season-opener in Abu Dhabi last month, excels in the three segments of the race and that is seen as being of critical importance on the hilly streets of Hamilton.

Last year, a tense battle between Zaferes and Great Britain’s Vicky Holland ended up with both of them sprinting in the last few metres with the latter claiming the silver medal and the former the bronze.

Zaferes will lead a strong American team as she seeks to improve on that result, with seven triathletes wearing US colours.

Tylor Spivey, the silver medallist in Abu Dhabi, appears in great shape, while Summer Rappaport returns to the WTS circuit after a few months dealing with injuries and getting back to training.

They will line up alongside the likes of Renee Tomlin, Chelsea Burns and Tamara Gorman, all of whom have the excellent bike and run skills needed for the course.

With injured home favourite and double world champion Flora Duffy watching the race from the stands, the battle is likely to be once again between the US and Britain, whose representatives include Holland, Jessica Learmonth, Non Stanford and Georgia Taylor-Brown.

The tough but scenic course, including the 10 notorious climbs of Corkscrew Hill, is expected to provide the perfect setting for the 55 men taking to the start line 

with all eyes most likely being set on three Norwegians – Casper Stornes, Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden.

The trio made it a clean sweep of medals at last year's equivalent event and return to the island ready to show the world they can do it again.

Four weeks of hard training at high altitude followed by another week at sea level proved the perfect strategy for them in 2018, so much so that other athletes have replicated that approach this time round.

"This year, all eyes will be on us, it won’t be easy to break away as we did last year," said Stornes, the unexpected winner of the first edition of the WTS event in Bermuda.

It is anticipated the Norwegians will show their power on the bike course with the team having been training for weeks on a replica of Corkscrew Hill they found in the mountains of Sierra Nevada in Spain, with the same gradient and distance as the infamous one in Hamilton.

Fierce competition is likely to come from another talented squad, that of Spain, with triple world champion Mario Mola hoping to add to his victory in Abu Dhabi.

Compatriot Fernando Alarza, meanwhile, arrives in Hamilton after a solid block of training in high altitude. 

Tomorrow will also see the start of the ITU Multi-Sport World Championships in Pontevedra in Spain.

Proceedings will begin with the two-day Duathlon World Championships.