| Class One powerboat racing will venture into two more new venues for the 2008 season. The provisional calendar for the new season was announced by the World Professional Powerboat Association (WPPA) president Saeed Hareb and Marco Sala its general secretary at a press conference held yesterday.
Rio de Janeiro in Brazil has shown an early interest while Budva in Montenegro has also confirmed its willingness to be part of the WPPA initiative in breaking new ground for the sport around the world.
The 2007 season - run for the first time ever by the WPPA - had three new venues, namely Athens (Greece), Constanta (Romania) and Porto Marina (Egypt). "We need to build up this sport of Class One Powerboat racing first and then we can start building around its success with other classes participating," said Hareb during the announcement.
Sala admitted that the interest in Class One racing was on a high with many new cities expressing an interest in hosting races for next year.
"But ultimately it is the logistics that keeps us from having more rounds," Sala said.
The tentative calendar for 2008 will make a start with the Qatar Grand Prix in Doha in March before moving off for the Brazilian Grand Prix at the end of April. After that the boats will return to Europe visiting Budva, Arendal, Oslo, Constanta and Porto Marina followed by the traditional running of the last two rounds in Dubai.
Valencia (Spain), Marseilles (France), Yalta (Ukraine) and Shenzhen (China) has also shown an interest to be on the 2008 calendar. "Our goal is to have a maximum of nine races during a season. But if we can manage another three races, then why not?" Sala quipped. The final calendar for the new season will be announced in Dusseldorf in January.
Provisional calendar for 2008
March 1: Qatar
April 25: Brazil
May 25: Montenegro
July 20: Arendal (Norway)
August 17: Oslo (Norway)
August 31: Romania
October 18: Egypt
November 29: Dubai
December 6: Dubai |
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