In-form Australian triathlete Annabel Luxford can seize the world's top ranking with victory in Sunday's World Cup race in Kitzbuehel.

After struggling with injuries last year, the 2005 World Cup series champion has burst back into the spotlight with back-to-back podium finishes in the Des Moines and Edmonton events.

If Luxford finishes fourth or better in Austria, the 25-year-old Sydneysider will overtake Portuguese star Vanessa Fernandes as the new world No.1.

But Luxford is not expected to have her own way, with Canadian prodigy Kirsten Sweetland heading the list of challengers.

The current junior world champion took silver at the last World Cup race in Edmonton and comes into Kitzbuehel ranked third in the world.

Australia's reigning Commonwealth Games champion Brad Kahlefeldt is among the favourites in the men's field.

Kahlefeldt began the year with a win in Mooloolaba and a bronze in Lisbon but has cooled off since then after failing to finish in Madrid and Des Moines.

A five-times World Cup race winner, the 27-year-old from Wagga Wagga will be keen to assert himself as one of the contenders for overall series honours in 2007.

But he isn't the highest-ranked man in the field. That distinction belongs to 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medallist Simon Whitfield.

Whitfield has finished in the top 10 in all four World Cup races he has contested this year, including a home-country triumph in Vancouver.

Sunday's two Olympics-distance races each consist of a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run.

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