More than 10,000 spectators are expected at the UIM F1H2O World Championship Grand Prix of Kyrgyzstan on Lake Issyk-Kul from July 31 to August 2, with the event now confirmed to cost $5 million, funded entirely outside the state budget.
Eduard Kubatov, director of Kyrgyzstan’s State Agency for Tourism Development, confirmed the figures at a press conference in Bishkek on Tuesday. He said the $5 million will come from the Federation of Water Motor Sports and the sports community, not from public funds.
Tickets are already on sale. A one-day pass costs $100, a three-day pass $200. VIP tickets have sold out.
Accommodation Under Pressure
The Cholpon-Ata shoreline and the surrounding cottage settlements of Sary-Oi, Bosteri, and Baet are already fully booked by championship guests, according to Kubatov. He said he hoped the combined capacity of those communities would prove sufficient for the volume of visitors arriving from abroad.
Kubatov told reporters:
“The shore area and the largest cottage settlements are already fully booked by guests of the international championship. We hope that the capacity of Cholpon-Ata, as well as the villages of Sary-Oi, Bosteri, and Baet, will be sufficient.”
Annual Ambition
Kyrgyzstan intends to host the championship every year, Kubatov said. He added that next year’s edition is planned around electric and hybrid boats, a direct response to the environmental campaign which called on UIM to cancel the 2026 race.
Kubatov said he would take personal responsibility for any consequences from this year’s event:
“Next year, to address public concerns, we will hold a championship featuring electric and hybrid boats. I will bear personal responsibility for any possible consequences as the head of the agency and initiator of the project. Even if there are minor environmental impacts, we can simply cancel this event in the future and discontinue the programme.”
He added that F1H2O would help increase Kyrgyzstan’s international visibility, with the broadcast expected to reach approximately 500 million viewers worldwide.
Infrastructure Work Under Way
On June 13, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Construction Nurdun Oruntaev visited the Issyk-Kul race site to inspect preparatory work. The Ministry of Construction is building parking areas, laying asphalt, and constructing 800 metres of pedestrian walkways.
An environmental assessment was conducted ahead of the event with the involvement of independent organisations and the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan.
Background
The Grand Prix of Kyrgyzstan is the first F1H2O event ever held in Central Asia. Lake Issyk-Kul sits at 1,607 metres above sea level, making it the highest-altitude venue in the history of the championship. The lake is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a Ramsar Wetland site.
Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev chaired a government preparation meeting for the event on May 11.
Source: 24.kg News Agency
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.
