Powerboat racing returns to the River Tarn on 6 and 7 June 2026, when the Grand Prix Motonautique brings the Championnat de France Inshore to Rivières in the Tarn department. Entry is free. This is the first major powerboat event in southern France for years, and the family behind it are running it in memory of a man who shaped the sport here.
Philippe, father of GST Event founder Guillaume, won the Championnat de France three times in the 1990s, in 1994, 1995 and 1999. He set three world records and spent a decade as race safety director on French circuits until 2018. He died in 2021. His son built this event from the ground up, in Philippe’s home department, and brought in the rest of the family to run it.
Event: Grand Prix Motonautique – Championnat de France Inshore Occitanie
Date: Saturday 6 – Sunday 7 June 2026
Venue: Base de loisirs d’Aiguelèze, Rivières, 81600
Entry: Free
What you will see
Three classes race across the weekend. S3 is the endurance class – 1000cc inshore boats that can exceed 110 km/h on the river circuit, crewed by rotating pilots across two-hour stints. The Série Nationale is the sprint series of the Championnat de France, with qualifying and races across both days. The Coupe Occitanie, a regional sprint cup, rounds off the Saturday programme.
The organisers have also announced a round of electric powerboat racing at the event, described on their website as a first of its kind in France at this level. Timing for the electric sessions had not been published in the official programme at the time of writing.
The paddocks are open to spectators throughout. A village of exhibitor stands runs across both days, with food trucks and a concert on Saturday evening.
Full schedule
| Session | Local time (CEST, UTC+2) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 5 June 2026 – Arrival Day | ||
| Team arrival | 14:00-19:00 | 14:00 |
| Technical scrutineering | 14:30-19:00 | 14:30 |
| Saturday 6 June 2026 | ||
| Technical scrutineering (continued) | 08:00-12:00 | 08:00 |
| Pilot briefing | 08:00-08:30 | 08:00 |
| Free practice – S3 and Série Nationale | 08:45-10:15 | 08:45 |
| Qualifying – Série Nationale | 10:15-11:00 | 10:15 |
| Endurance S3 – Race 1 | 12:00-14:00 | 12:00 |
| Vitesse – Série Nationale (Race 1) | 12:00-14:00 | 12:00 |
| Vitesse – Série Nationale (Race 2) | 15:30-16:00 | 15:30 |
| Qualifying – Coupe Occitanie | 17:00-17:30 | 17:00 |
| Coupe Occitanie – Race | 18:30-19:00 | 18:30 |
| Prize giving – Endurance S3, Coupe Occitanie, Série Nationale | 19:15 | 19:15 |
| Sunday 7 June 2026 | ||
| Pilot briefing | 08:30-09:00 | 08:30 |
| Free practice – S3 | 09:15-10:15 | 09:15 |
| Endurance S3 – Race 2 | 11:00-13:00 | 11:00 |
| Free practice – Série Nationale | 14:00-15:00 | 14:00 |
| Qualifying – Série Nationale | 15:15-15:45 | 15:15 |
| Vitesse – Série Nationale | 16:30-17:00 | 16:30 |
| Prize giving – Endurance S3 and Vitesse | 17:15 | 17:15 |
Times shown in Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2). Your local time is calculated automatically.
Venue and getting there
The Base de loisirs d’Aiguelèze sits on the River Tarn at Rivières, postcode 81600. The circuit uses the river in front of the leisure base, with spectator access along the bank. Rivières is approximately 35 minutes from Toulouse and 15 minutes from Albi. The event has backing from the Tarn department council, the commune of Rivières, and Albi Croisières.
Food and drink are available on site across both days. Saturday evening includes a concert at the venue. Parking information had not been published at the time of writing.
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.
