The 2019 Powerboat World Championship UIM F1H2O will be held in Dammam, Saudi Arabia from March 28-30, with the participation of 11 different countries.
Prince Abdul Aziz Al Faisal, chairman of the General Sports Authority, had called on the Saudi Federation of Marine Sports and Diving to host the tournament which will see the participation of 18 world-renowned professional speedboaters compete in Dammam.
The UIM F1H2O World Championship is the 'flagship' international series of single-seater inshore circuit powerboat racing and a part of Formula 1 series of tournaments held across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Highly competitive, intensely challenging, risky and entertaining, the F1H2O World Championship is the ultimate adrenalin rush and regarded as one of the most spectacular and exciting sports in the world.
Hosting the UIM FIH2O is part and parcel of the General Sports Authority’s initiative to offer a multitude of unique sporting events and hosting international championships, placing the kingdom as a frontrunner destination for sports tourism in the Middle East.
The Authority’s agenda is also a pure reflection of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 for national transformation.
“The General Authority for Sports seeks to make a major leap forward in the sports sector by launching a series of initiatives that contribute its development and sustainability, including leisure and tourism,” Chairman Al Faisal had said in his comments on the event.
Nicolo Di San Germano, President of H2O Racing, voiced the group’s joy for launching the Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia, and thanked the Authority for its efforts and cooperation for expanding the tournament’s race base in the Middle East.
Eighteen drivers from nine teams representing 11 countries will renew rivalries in the season-opener in Dammam at the championship’s 280th Grand Prix which marks a return to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time in 15 years.