Race World Offshore, LLC has confirmed the formal execution of a multi-year licensing agreement with UIM Events S.A.R.L., the commercial arm of the Union Internationale Motonautique, covering the 2026 through 2031 seasons. The deal assigns RWO the rights to conduct and operate the World Championship Series of the UIM Offshore Class 1, UIM Offshore Class 2 and APBA Super Cat across North America, with the United States and Canada defined as the championship territory.
World champions in all three classes will be honoured at the 2027 UIM Annual Awards Ceremony in Monaco, on the same stage as the sport’s top performers across every discipline.
The confirmation formalises the agreement first reported by Powerboat News and formally instates Race World Offshore as the exclusive commercial rights holder for the territory. The UIM, recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body of motorised water sports, owns the UIM World Championship and UIM Continental Championship titles and the rights connected to them. The American Power Boat Association serves as the UIM’s national authority in the United States; championship rules under the agreement align UIM and APBA rulebooks for technical compatibility.
RWO president Larry Bleil said:
“This is the moment our drivers, owners and crews have been waiting for. The UIM Offshore Class 1, UIM Offshore Class 2 and APBA Super Cat are now world championships in the truest sense of the word, and the champion of each class will be recognised at the 2027 UIM Annual Awards Ceremony in Monaco — on the same stage as the best powerboat racers on the planet. That kind of recognition is what this sport deserves, and what our community has earned.”
UIM Secretary General Thomas Kurth said:
“The UIM is proud to partner with Race World Offshore and to welcome Larry Bleil as the promoter of what is now a fully sanctioned international Championship Series. Bringing the UIM Offshore Class 1, the UIM Offshore Class 2 and the APBA Super Cat together on a single World Championship stage is a significant step for the Powerboating Sport in North America and on a global scale, and ensuring that the champions of each of these three Offshore classes shall be recognised at the UIM Annual Awards Ceremony in Monaco is what this level of powerboat racing deserves. We also wish to thank our American member federation APBA for their continued support in making this possible. We look forward to a strong season and to a defining finale in Key West.”
The 2026 RWO season
Five championship races run across four host markets. The full 2026 RWO schedule is on the Powerboat News championship calendars page.
| Event | Venue | Dates | UIM rounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City Grand Prix | Atlantic City, N.J. | June 26-28, 2026 | 1 |
| Great Lakes Grand Prix | Michigan City, Ind. | July 31 – August 2, 2026 | 1 |
| Clearwater Offshore Nationals | Clearwater Beach, Fla. | September 25-27, 2026 | 1 |
| Key West Offshore World Championships | Key West, Fla. | November 1-8, 2026 | 2 |
Key West counts as two events for the purpose of the UIM’s four-event minimum. Atlantic City is a new addition to the RWO calendar, while Michigan City and Clearwater are returning venues.
Key West
The Key West Offshore World Championships is the most popular offshore powerboat racing event in the United States. The 2025 edition attracted 96 boats across 14 classes, with IHRA contributing a $250,000 prize fund for that event alone. Key West Week, running November 1-8, draws competitors, teams and spectators from across North America and abroad, and serves as the natural season finale for any serious North American offshore programme. Under the UIM agreement, it also becomes the setting Kurth described as “a defining finale” for the world championship.
Operational responsibilities
RWO retains full responsibility for race organisation, race control, course design, event logistics and safety coordination. The UIM retains responsibility for sporting integrity and championship recognition. The UIM logo will appear on the podium at every event and be integrated into broadcast graphics, official event materials and championship trophies.
Prize money: the IHRA contrast
Race World Offshore has not announced a prize purse for the 2026 season. That separates it from the rival IHRA Offshore National Championship, which committed $2 million in prize money for 2026 — double its original announcement — and pays $1,250 in tow money to every competing boat regardless of finishing position.
IHRA has already run two rounds of its 2026 season. The opening event at St. Petersburg, Florida, in March distributed $214,285 across 65 boats over 11 classes. Round 2 followed in New Orleans in April. RWO’s season does not begin until June.
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.
