Offshore powerboat racing in the UK traces its roots to the inaugural Cowes–Torquay–Cowes race in 1961, launched by Sir Max Aitken as the first offshore powerboat race in Europe. Covering a gruelling 210 miles along the south coast, the event quickly gained international prestige and inspired a generation of competitors. By 1969 the sport had grown bold enough to stage the Round Britain Powerboat Race — a 1,400–mile endurance odyssey that remains one of the most demanding events in the history of motorsport on water.

Classes evolved over the decades under the governance of the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), with Class 1 representing the pinnacle of technology and speed. In the UK the competitive landscape was reshaped in 2017 when UKOPRA was established to provide a dedicated governing body for British offshore racing. Staging its first race in Poole that September, UKOPRA now sanctions a full championship across seven classes — from the unlimited power of Class 1 to the grassroots accessibility of Class 3B — racing in genuine offshore conditions along the South Coast of England.

Today the sport continues to grow, attracting new teams each season while honouring the traditions of endurance, seamanship, and raw horsepower that have defined offshore racing for over sixty years. Learn more about world offshore powerboat racing on Wikipedia.