With SWSC’s British Masters Championship confirmed, here is a full breakdown of the three-element format, the four-round 2026 calendar and the first confirmed entries at Stewartby. Round 1 is this Sunday, 5 April 2026.
Championships per event
Heats per race day
Competing classes
Season rounds
Three Championships in One
Every British Masters event runs three separate competitive elements at the same time. Each produces its own winner at every round and feeds a separate season championship. Competitors can target all three or focus on the element that suits their programme.
British Masters Championship
The core racing element. One qualifying session sets the grid for Heat 1. Four heats follow, in two back-to-back pairs. Heats 2 and 4 run on a reversed grid, placing the fastest finishers from the preceding heat at the back.
British Masters Match Race Championship
Head-to-head elimination. Pairs of competitors race over two laps on both the short and long course configurations. The winner of each race advances through the draw.
British Masters Lap Record Championship
Points awarded for the fastest lap set by each competitor during racing conditions at any event. A single strong showing at one round can shift a competitor up the standings, making this element viable for those who cannot attend every date.
The Heat Format
| Session | Grid | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying | Time-based | Sets Heat 1 starting order |
| Heat 1 | Qualifying order | Runs back-to-back with Heat 2 |
| Heat 2 | Reversed | Fastest from Heat 1 starts last |
| Heat 3 | Championship order | Runs back-to-back with Heat 4 |
| Heat 4 | Reversed | Final race of the day |
How the Season Title Is Decided
Final standings for all three elements use a best-percentage calculation: each competitor’s highest-scoring rounds are weighted across the season, softening the effect of a missed event. Full points allocation and the British Masters-specific exceptions to the 2026 CPA rulebook will be published before Round 1.
The 2026 Calendar
Testing and training: Saturday 4 April. Racing: Sunday 5 April.
Testing and training: Saturday 1 August. Racing: Sunday 2 August.
Two-day event. Racing on both Saturday and Sunday.
Two-day Finals event. Championship Finals across all three elements.
Rounds 1 and 2 are single-day race meetings, each with a testing and training day on the Saturday beforehand. Rounds 3 and 4 are two-day events. Each round includes a social evening on the Saturday, with details to follow.
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.
