Around 140 athletes from 24 teams are due to compete in La Jolla in California, surpassing the previous participation record of 120 from 2018. 

As many as 42 women will feature, beating the record of 37, also set in 2018.

Official team participation numbers and rosters will be announced upon completion of the Para-surfing classification review before competition begins on Wednesday (March 11). 

An updated Para-surfing classification system is being introduced to ensure high competition and a level playing field.

Additional sport classes have been added to further differentiate between standing, kneeling, prone and visually-impaired athletes. 

Each division will crown male and female world champions, with a maximum of eight men and eight women fielded per team.

"The ISA is proud to continue providing a world-class platform for surfers with physical challenges," said ISA President Fernando Aguerre.

"These are truly elite athletes that deserve a spotlight in which they can shine.

"Under the ISA’s leadership Para-surfing has reached new corners of the globe, enriching the lives of those it touches. 

"We hope to continue our hard work until Para-surfing reaches the world’s greatest sporting stage at the Paralympic Games."

It is the fifth edition of the annual event to take place, with competition running until March 15. 

The competition has a new title partnership of AmpSurf and features Paralympics-friendly innovations, with the ISA hoping for the discipline to feature at future Games. 

The ISA has also applied for surfing to be included at the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago. 

The four previous editions of the event, previously named the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship, have had lifestyle brand Stance as title sponsors, with the first two being held at San Diego before the venue switched to La Jolla Shores Beach. 

California, where the event will take place, recently declared a state of emergency following its first coronavirus death.