UKOPRA 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
Crews from across the UK, Sweden, and Spain are lining up in Classes 1, 1L, 2 and 3. The course loops the Solent’s finest backdrops — 78 and 62 nautical mile races, depending on class — with the start/finish line north of Newtown Creek. The racers will loop past coastal vantage points up to four times, giving fans multiple chances to watch the action thunder by.
The Big Boats: Class 1 + 1L Championship leaders Double Trouble (Eastwood Racing, with Gary Aldington at the helm) are looking to cement their position at the top, but they’ll have to fend off heavyweight challengers.
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