Serafino Barlesi’s appeal over the running of Race 1 at Rodi Garganico has been upheld by the UIM International Court of Appeal, after he and Joakim Kumlin pulled Blu Banca out of the race in protest.
Blu Banca, the reigning back-to-back Class 3D World Champions, did not start Race 1 of the season opener at Rodi Garganico on 19 June. The pair objected to a course format that gave the class’s new four-stroke boats a shorter lap than the established two-stroke fleet, despite both being scored in a single classification. Kumlin told Powerboat News at the time that the four percent reduction had been calculated rather than tested, and that no one had told the teams before they arrived at the venue.
According to the ruling, published by UIM, the Court sitting in Case ICA 1/2026 was composed of Prof. Avv. Bruno Tassone as president, with Prof. Avv. Ignazio Castelluci and Avv. Prof. Antonio Maria Russo as judges. The panel dealt with three separate strands of Barlesi’s appeal.
His challenge to the original Protest Jury decision was thrown out. The Court found he had no standing to bring it, and ruled that part of the appeal inadmissible.
Two further appeals succeeded. The Court upheld Barlesi’s challenge to a decision taken by the event’s OOD/UIM Sport Commissioner on 20 June, the Saturday, and a separate challenge to a UIM COMINOFF decision taken the following day. Both were admitted and both were upheld in Barlesi’s favour.
As a consequence of those two rulings, UIM will recalculate the classification points for the Offshore 3D World Championship, disregarding those awarded to all drivers in the race held at Rodi Garganico on 19 June. The revised points have not yet been published.
The Court’s reasoning on those two rulings has not been published. Under the decision’s own terms, the grounds have to be notified within 30 days, so the basis on which the Sport Commissioner and COMINOFF were overturned is not yet public.
One procedural detail from the ruling: Barlesi had paid only half of the appeal fee. The Court ordered that half retained by UIM, and exempted him from paying the rest.
Blu Banca went on to finish third in Race 2 at Rodi Garganico after returning to the water under a revised, single-lap format, before travelling to Arendal at the end of July still chasing the points they lost by sitting out Race 1.
UIM Offshore World Championship Coverage
Powerboat News covers all rounds of the 2026 Class 3D World Championship.
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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.
