H1 Unlimited has confirmed a four-race 2026 season schedule and announced a new competition format that will debut at the APBA Gold Cup in Madison, Indiana, in July.
The new system replaces draw-based positioning with a cumulative scoring structure called Total Weekend Points, which connects Time Trials, preliminary heats, and the Final into a single continuous competition. Under the previous format, lane selection in heats was determined partly by draw. Under the new one, every session contributes points that shape the rest of the weekend.
2026 Season Schedule
| Dates | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 30 May | Preseason Testing | Tri-Cities, WA |
| 3–5 July | APBA Gold Cup | Madison, IN |
| 24–26 July | Columbia Cup | Tri-Cities, WA |
| 31 July–2 August | Apollo Mechanical Cup | Seattle, WA |
| 18–20 September | Bill Muncey Cup | San Diego, CA |
Madison is the only venue east of the Mississippi. The remaining three race events are on the West Coast, with Tri-Cities hosting both the preseason test and the Columbia Cup. The season closes in San Diego on September 18–20.
With four scoring rounds, reliability will be at a premium. A single retirement or disqualification could have an outsized effect on the championship outcome.
How the New Format Works
Points accumulation begins in Time Trials. The fastest boat earns 200 points, with a sliding scale down to 85 points for ninth place. From tenth onwards, each position is worth five points fewer than the one above it.
Time Trial Points
| Place | Points |
|---|---|
| 1st | 200 |
| 2nd | 180 |
| 3rd | 160 |
| 4th | 140 |
| 5th | 120 |
| 6th | 100 |
| 7th | 95 |
| 8th | 90 |
| 9th | 85 |
| 10th onwards | –5 from position above |
Those Time Trial points then determine heat placement and lane selection. The preliminary heats use an inverted odd/even grouping: for an eight-boat field, Heat 1A draws boats finishing 7th, 5th, 3rd, and 1st in Time Trials, while Heat 1B takes 8th, 6th, 4th, and 2nd. Lane choice order within each heat runs from the lower-ranked qualifier first, so the slowest qualifier in each group picks their lane before the fastest. The intent is to prevent the quickest boats from being stacked into the same early heat.
From Round 2 onwards, heat groupings and lane selection are determined by Total Weekend Points rather than Time Trial order alone. A boat that performs well in Time Trials but struggles in Heat 1 will see its position in the draw reflect that.
The Final
Qualification for the Final is decided by Total Weekend Points accumulated across Time Trials and all preliminary heats. Lane choice in the Final follows the same principle: the boat with the highest points total picks first, the second-highest picks second, and so on.
There is one additional incentive built in for the championship leader. The boat carrying the most Total Weekend Points is entitled to select Lane 1 once and Lane 2 once across all Finals during the season, providing a tactical advantage at the point in the weekend when it matters most.
H1 Unlimited announced the new format on March 3rd, describing it as reflecting the league’s commitment to competitive integrity. The format applies across all four race events in 2026, with Madison providing the first test of how the new structure plays out on the water.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
