Power Boat Racing Articles
There are quieter ways to spend a Saturday in the Solent. And then there’s the UKOPRA Round the Island Race.
On 16 May 2026, the south coast of England shook once again as thirty offshore powerboat teams lined up off the Isle of Wight for the opening round of the 2026 UK Offshore Powerboat Racing Association Championship.
Sixty miles. Anti-clockwise. No easing into it.
Just throttle forward and hold on.
© Tracey Beer - UKOPRA
Big seas. Bigger horsepower.
15-05-2026
Victory at Last: Good Boy Vodka Takes the Crown Good Boy Vodka, a 52-foot Outerlimits SV52, crossed the finish line in a commanding 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 26 seconds, speeding home at an average of 92.5 mph. Skippered by Rob Lockyer with Americans Alex Pratt, Kirk Britto, and Tim Linden aboard, the team executed a textbook race—stalking the leaders early before striking when others slipped. Their patience and precision secured them the coveted Beaverbrook Trophy and ended Silverline’s long-running dominance in one fell swoop.
30-08-2025
It’s that time of year again—Sunday dawned on Cowes with a roar of engines, a flash of sun on horsepower, and a hum that made even Cowes Castle wake from slumber. The legendary Cowes–Torquay–Cowes powerboat race, the world’s longest continuous offshore powerboat contest, thundered back onto the water as part of the Cowes Powerboat Festival, organised by the British Powerboat Racing Club (BPRC). For weeks, the bay has smelled of fuel and anticipation. Today, it finally delivered.
24-08-2025
After years in the wilderness, one of powerboating’s most entertaining traditions is roaring back to life on the South Coast. The UK Powerboating Club has confirmed that the inaugural Solent Powerboat Poker Run will be staged on 25 August 2025 — and already the buzz is spreading from Cowes to the Hamble.
22-08-2025
Sail takes a back seat this weekend as the offshore racers roll in for Round 4 of the 2025 UKOPRA Championship — and this one’s set to be a belter. The Lymington Challenge kicks off Saturday, August 9th, with a fleet of 15 boats battling it out in the fast-flowing waters of the Western Solent. Expect noise, speed, and a proper offshore showdown between Hamstead Ledge and the Needles.
08-08-2025
Under blazing skies and with the Solent simmering in summer heat, the UKOPRA Offshore Powerboat Championships roared back into action on Saturday with the third round of the series: the legendary “Solent 80.” Eighteen boats took on the demanding clockwise circuit around the Isle of Wight, delivering drama, mechanical heartbreak, and spectacular performances—classic offshore racing in all its noisy, unpredictable glory.
21-07-2025
This weekend, the waters of the Solent will come alive with high-octane action as Round 3 of the 2025 UKOPRA Offshore Powerboat Championship roars into Haslar Marina for the much-anticipated Solent 80. Set for Saturday, 12 July, this event is shaping up to be a showcase of raw speed, adrenaline-fuelled competition, and technical mastery – all played out against the iconic backdrop of the south coast’s legendary boating waters.
12-07-2025
There are days when the Solent feels like it’s holding its breath, and Saturday June 14th was one of them. With a pale blue sky above and the early morning mist still lingering like a sea ghost, Poole Quay slowly filled with the unmistakable growl of engines and the calm intensity of men and women who live for the roar of open water.
16-06-2025
Poole Bay 100 Offshore Powerboat will take place on Saturday June 14th, which will see teams competing for the second round of the 2025 UKOPRA Offshore Championships which will be hosted by Poole Quay Yacht Haven and organised by World Powerboats Events Ltd.
10-06-2025
Gary Aldington and Tom Gardner in 'Double Trouble' (1-88) went one better than in 2024 clinching the top position in the opening race of the UKOPRA Offshore Powerboat Championships with an impressive average speed of 99.35 mph.
23-05-2025