Entries for the three-day regatta, due to start tomorrow, show a rise in the number of competitors to just under 700.

This is an increase on the first stage of the World Rowing Cup in Belgrade earlier this month.

It is claimed this partially reflects the interest in competitors wanting to familiarise themselves with the regatta course of Linz-Ottensheim prior to next year’s World Rowing Championships, the main qualification event for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. 

As well as racing in the 14 Olympic boat classes, there will also be racing in four international boat classes and eight Para-rowing boat classes.

The Para PR1 men’s single sculls looks set to be hotly-contested as the field of 12 includes Ukraine’s Roman Polianskyi, the Paralympic champion and gold medallist from Belgrade. 

A large men’s single sculls field sees the return of London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Mahé Drysdale to the international scene after a year out of action. 

The New Zealander is expected to face competition from Robert Manson, his team-mate and the holder of the world best time, and Olympic silver medallist Damir Martin of Croatia.

In the women’s single sculls, Switzerland’s Jeannine Gmelin, the world champion and winner in Belgrade, is racing against home favourite and regular medallist Magdalena Lobnig.

Another potential challenger is Great Britain’s Victoria Thornley, the silver medallist at last year's World Championships in Sarasota in the United States.

World champions Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler of New Zealand will be the crew to beat in the women’s pair, while their team-mates, John Storey and Christopher Harris, hold the same pre-event billing in the men’s double sculls.

It is the first international race of the 2018 season for both of these crews and they will be accompanied by a 43-member New Zealand team.

It is also the first international race of the season for Australia, who have brought a team of 45 athletes.

This includes the 2017 World Championship-winning men’s four crew of Joshua Hicks, Spencer Turrin, Jack Hargreaves and Alexander Hill.

Britain is sending the biggest team to the regatta with 65 rowers, including their men’s quadruple sculls crew that won in Belgrade.  

The next biggest team comes from Italy and includes men’s pair world champion Matteo Lodo with a new crew-mate, Vincenzo Abbagnale, who has replaced the injured Giuseppe Vicino.

Racing is scheduled to begin tomorrow with heats for the Para-rowing boat classes, followed by the international and Olympic boat classes.

In a departure from the normal format, the first round of all events will be raced as time trials.

This is to allow athletes and officials a chance to test one of the possible contingency scenarios at the Olympic regatta in 2020.

Racing then progresses through repechage and semi-finals to the finals, which will be raced over Saturday (June 23) and Sunday (June 24).

The draw took place today.