The Lithuanian phenomenon faces a field which includes Germany's 2008 Olympic champion Lena Schoneborn and the United States home hope, Margaux Isaksen, the current world number five

Now the World Cup series is over, 72 of the world's leading performers are in the United States for the climactic event, with the men's final – featuring Lithuania's world number one Justinas Kinderis - scheduled for Saturday (June 7) and the mixed relay for Sunday (June 8).

The 22-year-old Isaksen has placed eighth or higher in all major competitions she has entered since the London 2012 Olympic Games, claiming impressive victories last year at both World Cup #2 in Rio de Janeiro and at Champion of Champions in Doha.

"I have trained extremely hard in recent months and I am feeling strong," Isaksen said..

"All the hard work has been done now, time to put it to the test. I cannot wait to get started."

The in-form Oktawia Nowacka from Poland will be one to watch having taken two silvers and a gold in her last three World Cup Series appearances.

Humble yet ruthless, she has what it takes to go all the way.

Justinas Kinderis, Lithuania's World No1, will seek the World Cup title in Sarasota on Saturday ©Getty Images

China will challenge through Qian Chen, Wanxia Liang and former boxer Xiaonan Zhang. Yane Marques of Brazil, the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, will also be in the reckoning for honours, along with Russia's Donata Rimsaite,,Viktoria Tereshuk of Ukraine and the rejuvenated Canadian Melanie McCann.

The men's competition looks like being be too close to call, with Kinderis facing a stern challenge from the Russian duo of Ilia Frolov and Aleksander Lesun, as well as Egypt's Amro El Geziry.

There will be a strong French presence too in the form of Christopher Patte, Valentin Belaud and world number two Valentin Prades, who won last year's World Cup final, but struggled to find top form since.

"My fencing was not great earlier this year but I feel fresh and hungry to defend this title so we will see," he told said.

"My training has been quality and with the support of my teammates and coaches, anything is possible."

This year's winner of the World Cup #2,  Riccardo de Luca of Italy, will also be a strong contender, as will Ukraine's Pavlo Tymoshchenko, the Czech Republic's new talent Jan Kuf and the outstanding Chinese entrant Jianli Guo.

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