On a super-fast course, Geoffrey Kamworor is primed and ready to complete a hat-trick of titles in the men's senior race in the Spanish city.

And Joyciline Jepkosgei's hopes of a first world title in the women's race will be strengthened by the memory of the world record she set in the city on October 22.

On that occasion she took a second off her own mark to win the 2017 Medio Maraton Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP, an IAAF Gold Label road race, in 1 hour 4.51sec.

The only area of doubt as far as the Kenyans are concerned is the women's team event, where the late withdrawal of the 2016 World Half Marathon bronze medallist Mary Wacera and Fancy Chemutai - too late to be replaced - means all three remaining runners must register scores for the result.

Jepkosgei will be backed by Ruth Chepngetich and Pauline Kamulu.

With Kenya having won the men's team title on 15 of the previous 22 occasions the chances of another gold are almost overwhelming, especially as the team features some of the most likely challengers to Kamworor in 20-year-old Jorum Okombo and Leonard Barsoton.

Okombo has already run three races in under one hour in little more than the last six months and clocked a best of 58:48 when finishing second in the Copenhagen Half Marathon in September.

Barsoton took silver behind Kamworor at last year's IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

Kenya's two other runners, Alex Oloitiptip and Barselius Kipyego, should also be numbered as potential medallists given their own career bests of well under one hour.

Kamworor won in 2014 in Copenhagen in a world lead and championship record time of 59:08 before retaining the crown in 2016 in Cardiff in 59:10, the second fastest time in the championship.

"I have done enough preparations and we are all ready as a team," said Kamworor to Kenyan media.

"The focus will be on me as usual. 

"However, I have trained well and hope to travel to Spain without any concerns. 

"I feel no pressure and will be running my own race."

On a re-modelled course - the fastest ever seen in Valencia, according to the race organisers - and with almost perfect racing conditions predicted for the late Saturday afternoon start time - Kamworor might even get into the region of his half-marathon best of 58.54.

But he cannot expect things to go all his own way given the presence of a man who has an even faster half marathon time - Bahrain's naturalised Kenyan Abraham Cheroben.

He won in Copenhagen in an Asian area record and 2017 world-leading time of 58:40, which moved him up to third on the world all-time list for the distance.

Cheroben also won at the 2017 Medio Maraton Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP in 59:11, and he has won other victories on the roads of Valencia in 2014 and 2015.

Ethiopia will be looking to 21-year-old Jemal Yimer, who finished fifth - one place in front of Kamworor - in last year's IAAF World Championships 10,000 metres.

Bahrain's Eunice Chumba could upset Kenya's women's plans.

She set an Asian record of 1:06:11 when winning in Copenhagen last September and will be bidding to become her country's first ever medallist at the Championships.

The local Organising Committee have given an extra donation of $50,000 (£42,000/€40,520) to the Athletics Integrity Unit to strengthen the out-of-competition testing programme.

A total prize purse of $245,000 (£172,000/€198,458) is on offer, with $30,000 (£21,00/€24,318) available to individual winners.