Klaipėda will host world championship powerboat racing for the fourth consecutive year in June 2026, with the UIM F2 and F4 World Championships returning to Lithuania’s port city on June 6 and 7. For the first time, the championships share the waterfront with the Klaipėda Boat Show, running simultaneously across the same weekend.
Racing takes place at the Klaipėda Cruise Ship Terminal and Danė River Sailors’ Quay. The 2025 F2 World Championship included a Klaipėda round, where the city has now established itself as one of the circuit’s most reliable venues.
UIM F2 & F4 World Championship – Klaipėda 2026
Dates: June 5-7, 2026 (racing June 6-7) Venue: Klaipėda Cruise Ship Terminal and Danė River Sailors’ Quay, Klaipėda, Lithuania Admission: Free VIP tickets: medusa.lt
Live Timing and Broadcast
UIM F2 and F4 World Championship 2026 – Grand Prix of Lithuania
Follow all the action live from Lithuania with official live timing:
time4.racing – UIM F2 Grand Prix of Lithuania
time4.racing – UIM F4 Grand Prix of Lithuania
Live broadcast: Formule 2 Facebook page
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Lithuanian drivers in both classes
Edgaras Riabko leads the home interest in the F2 class. The double UIM F2 European Champion and president of the Lithuanian Motorboat Federation, Riabko has been a consistent presence at the front of the F2 World Championship for over a decade and is one of the most recognisable names in the series.
Two Lithuanian drivers will contest the F4 class: Paulius Stainys and Nida Kilinskaitė.
What to expect on the water
UIM F2 uses carbon fibre catamaran hulls powered by Mercury Racing outboard engines. Three qualifying sessions set the grid; the Grand Prix lasts approximately 45 minutes on a circuit marked on the Danė River. UIM F4 follows the same qualifying format and produces two separate races across the weekend – Race 1 on Saturday, Race 2 on Sunday.The Klaipėda Boat Show
Running simultaneously across all three days, the sixth edition of the Klaipėda Boat Show opens on Friday, June 5. Organised by LitBOAT, the Lithuanian Recreational Boating Industry Association, it is the largest marine exhibition in Lithuania, bringing together new yachts and motorboats, Lithuanian and international manufacturers, marine equipment displays and specialist consultations. Food and entertainment zones, family activities and a market fair run alongside the exhibition throughout the weekend.F2 entry list
Sixteen drivers are entered for Round 1, down from 23 at the same venue in 2025. Defending champion Mathilda Wiberg carries the #1 as she bids to retain the title she claimed in historic fashion last year. Ian Blacker steps into the cockpit himself after managing the squad that ran Matthew Palfreyman in 2025. Nils Slakteris, the reigning UIM F4 World Champion, makes his F2 debut at a venue he already knows.
Full entry list and driver profiles
| # | Driver | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathilda Wiberg | Sweden |
| 2 | Johan Österberg | Sweden |
| 4 | Jarno Vilmunen | Finland |
| 5 | Dainis Podzuks | Latvia |
| 9 | Mette Bjerknes | UK |
| 11 | Peter Morin | France |
| 14 | Ian Blacker | UK |
| 27 | Andre Solvang | Norway |
| 33 | Nelson Morin | France |
| 41 | Edgaras Riabko | Lithuania |
| 45 | Duarte Benavente | Portugal |
| 51 | Nils Slakteris | Latvia |
| 70 | Hilmer Wiberg | Sweden |
| 74 | Giacomo Sacchi | Monaco |
| 77 | Tobias Munthe-Kaas | Norway |
| 96 | Roope Virtanen | Finland |
F4 entry list
Eighteen drivers are entered for the F4 class, with strong representation from the Baltic states alongside drivers from across Europe and the UAE.
| # | Driver | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ismat Moani | UAE |
| 5 | Adam Wrenkler | Sweden |
| 7 | Sultan Alfalahi | UAE |
| 8 | William Leithe-Martinsen | Norway |
| 11 | Nida Kilinskaitė | Lithuania |
| 13 | Jean Baptiste-Thomas | France |
| 22 | Attila Horváth | Hungary |
| 27 | Noel Vänttinen | Finland |
| 34 | William Sjöström | Sweden |
| 38 | Benjamin Berti | Belgium |
| 41 | Paulius Stainys | Lithuania |
| 45 | Oliver Martin | Finland |
| 47 | Wihelm Sundberg | Finland |
| 50 | Laura Lakovica | Latvia |
| 51 | Ardis Slakteris | Latvia |
| 64 | Šimon Jung | Slovakia |
| 71 | Arthur Sundbäck | Finland |
| 93 | Niklavs Rimeicans | Latvia |
The F4 entry list is provisional and subject to change before the round.
Session schedule
| Session | Local time (EEST, UTC+3) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, June 4 | ||
| Paddock open | 12:00 | 10:00 |
| Friday, June 5 | ||
| Paddock open | 07:00 | 05:00 |
| Document control | 10:00 – 18:00 | 08:00 |
| Scrutineering | 10:00 – 18:00 | 08:00 |
| F2TA meeting | 15:00 – 16:00 | 13:00 |
| F2 Parade (mandatory) | 17:00 – 17:20 | 15:00 |
| Saturday, June 6 | ||
| Briefing | 09:00 – 09:30 | 07:00 |
| F4 Practice | 10:00 – 11:00 | 08:00 |
| F2 Practice | 11:45 – 13:15 | 09:45 |
| F4 Qualifying (Q1, Q2, Q3) | 14:00 – 14:45 | 12:00 |
| F4 Race 1 | 16:00 – 16:45 | 14:00 |
| F2 Qualifying (Q1, Q2, Q3) | 17:15 – 18:30 | 15:15 |
| Sunday, June 7 | ||
| Briefing | 09:00 – 09:30 | 07:00 |
| F4 Practice | 10:00 – 11:00 | 08:00 |
| F2 Warm-up | 11:45 – 12:30 | 09:45 |
| F4 Qualifying (Q1, Q2, Q3) | 13:15 – 14:00 | 11:15 |
| F4 Race 2 | 15:15 – 16:00 | 13:15 |
| F2 Parade Lap | 16:45 – 17:00 | 14:45 |
| F2 Grand Prix of Klaipėda | 17:00 – 17:45 | 15:00 |
| Prize-giving | 18:00 – 18:15 | 16:00 |
Local times are Eastern European Summer Time (EEST, UTC+3). The “Your time” column converts automatically to your local timezone. UK viewers: EEST is two hours ahead of BST.
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.
