Plethora of Powerboat racing action this weekend

by Emma Slater on 28 Aug 2014 This weekend (30-31 August) Powerboat GP will present a plethora of Powerboat racing action as 52 powerboat racers, representing 12 countries, compete for four UIM Titles that will see one World Champion and three European Champions crowned over the course of the event.

The National Watersports Centre, Nottingham will play host to the racing extravaganza which includes the final round of the 2014 UIM F4-s World Championships. Latvian Nikita Lijcs heads into the weekends competition with just a two point lead over Italy’s Alberto Caparato in the battle for the World Crown.

While, 16 junior racers between the ages of 10 and 16 will compete for the UIM European GT15 Crown. With the top three drivers in the World from Estonia making an appearance British drivers Thomas Mantripp and Ben Jelf will be looking to rectify problems they had at the World Championships and along with the other British powerboat racers show that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Finland’s Sara Pakalen will be looking to secure the double World and European crown as she competes against 11 competitors in the GT30 class.

At the World Championships in Poland she took three straight heat wins to secure the title and will be looking to do the same at the European Championships. Can one of the five British representatives rock the boat?

The final European Championship to be decided at the event will be in the OSY400 class where the competitors will lie face first in their boats and skim across the water at over 65mph. Estonia’s Rasmus Haugasmagi will be searching for a European Crown to compliment his World title from June.

The competition across all the classes will be World class and the action intense as the unique course and conditions the National Watersports Centre creates really tests the driver’s skills and capabilities.

For spectators it will be up-close fast and furious from the moment the lights go out until the chequered flag is raised. Each European Championship class will compete over four heats with the best three results counting to the weekend’s results with the World Rounds of the F4s Class having a ‘grand prix’ style race each day.

Governed nationally by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and internationally by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) the Powerboat GP series continues to develop with rules introduced and modified to ensure that the discipline is as safe and fair as possible for all involved.

Powerboat GP’s Jason Brewer commented: 'We are extremely proud to host an event of this magnitude in the UK. All of the Powerboat GP staff have worked very hard to make this event happen and we are looking forward the challenge ahead.'

He continued: 'Powerboat Racing is so exhilarating to watch. The action is fast and furious and what better place to watch it than the fantastic facilities at the National Water Sports Centre where you’ll be able to get up close and personal with all the action.'

For more information or to purchase tickets please visit: www.powerboatgp.co.uk, www.facebook.com/powerboatgp or www.skiddle.com.

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