2009 series to have eight rounds including three new venues
The Class 1 World Powerboat Championship ended the 2008 season in Dubai on an optimistic footing, revealing that it will add three new venues to its calendar next year with a fourth joining the circuit in 2010.
IOTA (International Offshore Team Association) announced the news at a press conference in Dubai revealing that Alicante (Spain) and Stresa (Italy) will make a welcome return to the Championship, with a second venue in the UAE to be confirmed.
“We are very pleased to be in a position to announce a full calendar and delighted that the representatives from the new venues for 2009 are with us in Dubai”, said IOTA chairman. “The continued interest from countries and organisations around the world who are interested to join the Championship, demonstrates the strength of our sport.”
It was also announced that Sanya City, Hainan, China will host the opening race of the Championship in 2010, and confirmed that IOTA was in discussion with promoters in the Ukraine and that on-going talks are in place with other countries looking to host a round of the Championship.
2009 Class 1 World Championship calendar
April 23-24 QATAR GP – Doha
May 14-16 EGYPTIAN GP – Porto Sokhna
June 5-7 SPANISH GP – Alicante
July 3-5 RUSSIAN GP – Moscow
July 17-19 NORWEGIAN GP – Arendal
August 28-30 ROMANIAN GP – Constanta
September 4-6 UKRAINIAN GP – (tba)
October 2-4 ITALIAN GP – Stresa
December 3-5 UAE GP – tbc
December 11-13 UAE GP – tbc
(calendar to be confirmed by January 21, 2009 with a minimum of eight races)
