The tenth edition of the quadrennial IAAF Continental Cup takes place in Marrakech, Morocco this weekend as the finest athletes from around the globe gather for the end-of-season inter-continental match.

Held in Le Grande Stade, the rare event – which was previously named the IAAF World Cup until the 2010 competition in Split, Croatia – promises a plethora of tantalising match-ups between the best athletes from Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

As expected from a competition which takes place only every four years, the event is set to bear witness to a spectacular abundance of world-class athletics which tops off a year that despite the absence of an Olympic Games or world championships, enjoyed the European and African Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

Here is a run-down on which athletes to look out for:

Team Europe –

No less than 30 gold medal winners from Augusts’ European Championships in Zurich will line up in the Moroccan city, as athletes from 24 Member Federations join to form a formidable squad.

The team also includes five reigning world champions and one defending Continental Cup champion.

Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic will be joined by fellow world champion field eventers, Bogdan Bondarenko of Ukraine, Germany’s David Storl, Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic and Poland’s Pawel Fajdek, whilst Christophe Lemaitre of France returns to defend his Cup 100m title.

Team Europe additionally boasts two athletes who have set world records this year – pole vaulter, Renaud Lavillenie of France and Poland’s hammer thrower, Anita Wlodarczyk.

Notable team members include:

Men
100m: James Dasaolu (GBR), Christophe Lemaitre (FRA)
200m: Lemaitre
400m: Martyn Rooney (GBR)
800m: Adam Kszczot (POL)
1500m: Henrik Ingebrigtsen (NOR), Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (FRA)
3000m: Hayle Ibrahimov (AZE)
5000m: Bouabdellah Tahri (FRA)
110m hurdles: William Sharman (GBR), Sergey Shubenkov (RUS)
400m hurdles: Kariem Hussein (SUI), Rasmus Magi (EST)
High jump: Bogdan Bondarenko (UKR), Ivan Ukhov (RUS)
Pole vault: Renaud Lavillenie (FRA), Pawel Wojciechowski (POL)
Long jump: Ignisious Gaisah (NED)
Triple jump: Lyukman Adams (RUS), Benjamin Compaore (FRA)
Shot put: Tomasz Majewski (POL), David Storl (GER)
Discus: Gerd Kanter (EST), Robert Urbanek (POL)
Hammer: Pawel Fajdek (POL), Krisztian Pars (HUN)
Javelin: Antti Ruuskanen (FIN), Vitezslav Vesely (CZE)
4x100m: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (GBR), James Ellington (GBR), Richard Kilty (GBR), Danny Talbot (GBR)

Women
100m: Dafne Schippers (NED), Myriam Soumare (FRA)
200m: Schippers, Soumare
800m: Marina Arzamasova (BLR), Lynsey Sharp (GBR)
1500m: Sifan Hassan (NED)
3000m: Meraf Bahta (SWE), Susan Kuijken (NED)
5000m: Clemence Calvin (FRA), Jo Pavey (GBR)
3000m steeplechase: Charlotta Fougberg (SWE)
100m hurdles: Tiffany Porter (GBR), Cindy Roleder (GER)
400m hurdles: Eilidh Child (GBR)
High jump: Maria Kuchina (RUS), Ana Simic (CRO)
Pole vault: Liza Ryzih (GER)
Long jump: Eloyse Lesueur (FRA), Ivana Spanovic (SRB)
Triple jump: Olga Saladukha (UKR), Ekaterina Koneva (RUS)
Shot put: Evgeniia Kolodko (RUS), Christina Schwanitz (GER)
Discus: Sandra Perkovic (CRO)
Hammer: Martina Hrasnova (SVK), Anita Wlodarczyk (POL)
Javelin: Barbora Spotakova (CZE), Linda Stahl (GER)
4x100m: Desiree Henry (GBR), Ashleigh Nelson (GBR), Anyika Onuora (GBR), Asha Philip (GBR)

Team Americas –

Bernard Lagat of the USA was one of the stars of the last IAAF Continental Cup, winning both the 3000m and 5000m in Split.

Competing in only the 3,000m event this time around, the 39-year-old is the only athlete in the squad to travel to Marrakech to fight for his Cup crown.

The Americas outfit will be hoping to defend their overall team crown and will be supported by five reigning global champions courtesy of Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia, the USA’s LaShawn Merritt, Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago and the USA’s Francena McCorory.

Other star names expected to impress include Javier Culson of Puerto Rico, the USA’s Ajee Wilson, Dawn Harper-Nelson and Tianna Bartoletta, and Kaliese Spencer of Jamaica.

Notable team members include:

Men
100m: Mike Rodgers (USA), Richard Thompson (TTO)
200m: Rasheed Dwyer (JAM), Alonso Edward (PAN)
400m: LaShawn Merritt (USA), Luguelin Santos (DOM)
800m: Duane Solomon (USA)
1500m: Leo Manzano (USA)
3000m: Bernard Lagat (USA)
3000m steeplechase: Evan Jager (USA)
400m hurdles: Javier Culson (PUR), Michael Tinsley (USA)
High jump: Derek Drouin (CAN), Erik Kynard (USA)
Long jump: Will Claye (USA)
Triple jump: Claye
Shot put: Joe Kovacs (USA)
Javelin: Keshorn Walcott (TTO)
4x100m: Nesta Carter (JAM), Kim Collins (SKN), Rodgers, Thompson
4x400m: Chris Brown (BAH), Merritt, Gil Roberts (USA), Santos

Women
100m: Michelle-Lee Ahye (TTO), Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM)
400m: Francena McCorory (USA), Novlene Williams-Mills (JAM)
800m: Sahily Diago (CUB), Ajee Wilson (USA)
1500m: Shannon Rowbury (USA)
3000m steeplechase: Emma Coburn (USA)
100m hurdles: Dawn Harper Nelson (USA)
400m hurdles: Kaliese Spencer (JAM)
High jump: Chaunte Lowe (USA)
Pole vault: Fabiana Murer (BRA)
Long jump: Tianna Bartoletta (USA)
Triple jump: Caterine Ibarguen (COL), Kimberly Williams (JAM)
Shot put: Michelle Carter (USA)
Discus: Gia Lewis-Smallwood (USA)
4x100m: Ahye, Atkins, Bartoletta, Campbell-Brown, Samantha Henry-Robinson (JAM)
4x400m: Christine Day (JAM), McCorory, Stephenie Ann McPherson (JAM), Williams-Mills

Team Africa –

The stand-out names in the African squad include Botswana’s Nijel Amos, Mohammed Aman of Ethiopia, Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman, Asbel Kiprop of Kenya and Egypt’s Ihab Abdelrahman.

Additional entrants are highlighted by Ethiopian trio, Genzeba Dibaba, Almaz Ayana and Hiwot Ayalew.

Notable team members include:

Men
200m: Isaac Makwala (BOT)
400m: Makwala
800m: Mohammed Aman (ETH), Nijel Amos (BOT)
1500m: Asbel Kiprop (KEN), Ayanleh Souleiman (DJI)
3000m: Caleb Ndiku (KEN)
3000m steeplechase: Jairus Birech (KEN)
400m hurdles: Cornel Fredericks (RSA)
Triple jump: Godfrey Khotso Mokoena (RSA)
Javelin: Ihab Abdelrahman (EGY), Julius Yego (KEN)

Women
800m: Eunice Sum (KEN)
1500m: Hellen Obiri (KEN)
3000m: Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
5000m: Almaz Ayana (ETH)
3000m steeplechase: Hiwot Ayalew (ETH)

Team Asia-Pacific –

Mutaz Essa Barshim and Valerie Adams are the sparkling performers of the Asia-Pacific team.

Qatar’s Barshim appears on the cusp of a world high jump record, whilst Adams of New Zealand will be going for her third straight Cup victory.

Kim Mickle and Dani Samuels of Australia should also perform well for the Asian and Oceania outfit.

Notable team members include:

Men
100m: Femi Ogunode (QAT)
200m: Ogunode
1500m: Nick Willis (NZL)
3000m: Willis
High jump: Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)
Long jump: Li Jinzhe (CHN)
Shot put: Tom Walsh (NZL)

Women
Shot put: Valerie Adams (NZL)
Discus: Dani Samuels (AUS)
Javelin: Kimberley Mickle (AUS)