Dukurs, the current IBSF World Cup leader in men's skeleton, won the event in 2015 and 2016 and will get his pursuit of a hat-trick of gold medals up and running when the first runs take place tomorrow.

The 32-year-old's main challenger is expected to be Olympic champion Alexander Tretiakov of Russia, with South Korean slider Sungbin Yun, who is second behind Dukurs in the race for the World Cup crown, opting not to compete in Königssee.

Yun has decided not to enter the event to focus on training at the Alpensia Sliding Centre, the venue for luge and bobsleigh and skeleton at next year's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

The final runs are set to be held on Sunday (February 26).

In the women's skeleton, Germany's Jacqueline Lölling will aim to add the world title to the European crown she clinched on home ice in Winterberg earlier this year.

The 22-year-old comes into the World Championships race as one of the favourites to top the podium and already has one gold medal to her name in the mixed team event.

She will bid to dethrone compatriot and defending champion Tina Hermann, while last year's runner-up Janine Flock of Austria could also be in contention.

Reigning Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold of Britain is set to participate in her first World Championships since taking an extended break from the sport but has been struggling with a recent back problem.

Yarnold, who had urged the IBSF to move the event from Sochi in the wake of the second part of the McLaren Report, which detailed evidence of a state-sponsored doping scheme in Russia, won the race in 2015.

Action in the women's skeleton is due to begin tomorrow, with the final runs scheduled for Saturday (February 25).

The four-man bobsleigh event is also on the programme for this weekend.

The United States, Germany, Latvia and Russia are among the teams who are likely to challenge for the podium places and the competition gets underway on Saturday and concludes on Sunday.