Kuwait will host the penultimate round of the 2025 UIM XCAT World Championship following confirmation from the UIM during its General Assembly in China.
The Kuwait Sea Sports Club will organise the event from 20-22 November in cooperation with the Public Authority for Sport, setting the stage for a title showdown before the season finale in Dubai on 12 December.
The hosting agreement was signed during the UIM General Assembly, with UIM Secretary-General Thomas Kurth, President Raffaele Chiulli and XCAT Championship Director Sebastiano Pelle joining Kuwait Sea Sports Club Secretary-General Khaled Al-Foudari, Powerboat and Wakeboard Committee Chairman Ali Al-Shammari and Fujairah Marine Sports Club Executive Director Ahmed Al-Balushi at the ceremony.
The announcement marks a significant moment for Kuwait’s maritime sporting calendar, with the nation set to showcase its facilities on the international powerboat racing stage ahead of the championship’s conclusion in neighbouring Dubai.
Victory Team Lead Championship
Victory Team’s Salem Al Adidi and Eisa Al Ali head to Kuwait holding a nine-point advantage over Team GB’s Scott Williams and Martin Campbell after establishing their credentials in the season-opening Fujairah round.
Team GB remain within striking distance on 56 points, whilst HPI Fujairah Racing Team’s Italian pairing of Rosario and Giuseppe Schiano di Cola, the defending world champions, occupy third position on 41 points.
Home Advantage for Kuwait
Kuwait’s Abdullatif Al Omani and Khalid Ali sit fourth in the standings on 36 points heading into their home race.
Sharjah Team, featuring 3 time F1H2O world champion Shaun Torrente alongside Konstantin Ustinov, hold fifth position on 35 points despite claiming victory in Race 1 at Fujairah. Technical issues in the second race proved costly.
Norway’s Energima Racing sit sixth on 34 points in their debut season, with Erik Sundblad Johansen and Marit Strømøy and Sweden’s Swecat Racing, featuring the experienced pairing of Sebastian Groth and Mikael Bengtsson, occupy seventh place on 22 points.
Six teams were separated by fractions of a second in Fujairah qualifying, the Kuwait round promises to intensify the battle before the Dubai finale determines the world champions.
Championship Standings After Round 1
Pos |
Boat |
Team |
Nationality |
Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
7 |
Victory Team |
UAE |
65 |
2 |
8 |
Team GB |
GBR |
56 |
3 |
96 |
HPI Fujairah Racing Team |
ITA |
41 |
4 |
17 |
Kuwait |
KUW |
36 |
5 |
9 |
Sharjah Team |
UAE |
35 |
6 |
55 |
Energima Racing |
NOR |
34 |
7 |
2 |
Swecat Racing |
SWE |
22 |
8 |
3 |
Faz Marine |
UAE |
0 |
8 |
20 |
Blu Banca |
ITA |
0 |
2025 XCAT Calendar
Round |
Location |
Date |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Fujairah, UAE |
14-16 February |
2 |
Kuwait |
20-22 November |
3 |
Dubai, UAE |
12 December |
John Moore’s 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 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
