A Maltese offshore racing team has committed to finishing the 2026 UKOPRA Championship after making their British debut at the Poole Bay 100 on Saturday 13 June. Team Interceptor, running the Visit Malta-sponsored D-6 in Class 3D, retired with an oil circulation problem at Poole but arrived with a full-season plan and the boat is staying in the UK.
Pilot Michael Xuereb and co-pilot Kurt Mifsud are the regular crew for UKOPRA rounds, managed from the shore by team manager Paul Howes. Paul’s son Sam Howes, born in England but based in Malta since 2007, acts as reserve driver in case either Xuereb or Mifsud cannot make it to the UK. Sam also races the UIM World Championships with Mifsud as his co-pilot.
Xuereb described the motivation for crossing to the UK championship as straightforward.
We wanted to start doing UKOPRA for a bit of fun, to meet new people, try new things. We also wanted to give the boat a bit more exposure and make our sponsors happy.
The team missed Round 1 at Southampton with technical issues but intends to be present for every remaining round. Asked about the pressure of racing in front of home sponsors at the Malta round earlier in the season, Xuereb was relaxed.
For us it was another day at work.
The commitment to Britain is equally clear.
We intend to keep the boat here and finish the remainder of the championship.
At Poole, Team Interceptor showed pace before the oil problem ended their race. The conditions held no concern for a crew with European offshore experience.
It was a bit rough, but we are used to it. The boat copes well in this weather, so it won’t deter us for the next event, definitely.
Round 3 of the 2026 UKOPRA Championship takes place at Ocean Village Marina, Southampton on 3-5 July.
UKOPRA 2026 Championship
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If it happened in powerboat racing during the last forty years the chances are that Chris Davies was there either photographing it or writing about it.
During that time, he has travelled the globe covering both offshore and circuit racing for series promotors, race teams, PR companies, and a whole raft of publications.
