Daniel Scioli: From World Champion Powerboat Racer to Argentine Cabinet Minister
The powerboat racer who lost his right arm in a 1989 accident went on to become Vice President of Argentina and remains in public service today.
Back in the Day
Historical powerboat racing coverage from Powerboat News. Archive stories, heritage features, vintage racing profiles, and water speed record history from the sport’s past.
Coverage includes classic championships, legendary drivers, forgotten venues, and the evolution of powerboat racing from circuit classes to offshore and unlimited hydroplanes.
When Tennis Champion Adriano Panatta Raced Offshore
Adriano Panatta defeated Björn Borg at Roland Garros when no one else could, won the 1976 French Open, and led Italy to its only Davis Cup title.
Then he walked away from tennis and spent the next 25 years racing offshore powerboats.
When Nigel Mansell raced a Formula One powerboat in 1982
On May 5, 1982, an unlikely duel unfolded at Holme Pierrepont in Nottinghamshire.
Nigel Mansell, behind the wheel of a black and gold John Player Special Lotus 87, went head-to-head with Formula One powerboats piloted by Bob Spalding and Tom Percival.
Rocky Aoki: The Offshore Racer Who Survived Twice
Hiroaki ‘Rocky’ Aoki built a restaurant empire then risked it all racing powerboats.
In 1979, a crash under the Golden Gate Bridge gave him a 10 percent chance of survival.
Fabio Buzzi: The Italian Genius Who Ruled Offshore Racing
The restaurant was packed that evening after an offshore race when Fabio Buzzi spotted Stefano Casiraghi dining with his wife, Princess Caroline of Monaco, across the room.
Offshore Racing Champion to CIA Witness: The George Morales Story
In December 1983, Colombian-born powerboat sensation George Morales basked in glory as offshore racing’s undisputed king, clinching the American National Championship, Harmsworth Trophy, US1 title, and a blistering world speed record of 116.
64 mph, all in his debut open-class season.
When Trump Promoted an Offshore Powerboat Race
Donald Trump currently serves as the 47th President of the United States, having previously served as the 45th President from 2017 to 2021.
Before entering politics, he spent decades building a business empire centred on real estate development and brand licensing.
When Chuck Norris Became a World Powerboat Champion
Long before the internet decided that Chuck Norris doesn’t do push-ups but rather pushes the Earth down, the martial arts legend was doing something far more impressive: winning a world powerboat racing championship at 140 mph.
How Seebold beat the V8 giants at Bristol 1982
The three-minute starter board was raised.
Not a sound could be heard in Bristol Docks.
How Four Deaths in Four Months Changed Circuit Racing Forever
Watch any UIM F1H2O or F2 race today and the sight of drivers racing behind enclosed canopies seems entirely normal.
Modern drivers benefit from composite safety cells, HANS devices, airbags, and life support systems, technology that keeps them strapped securely into crash-tested capsules designed to withstand huge impacts.
