Kuwait confirmed for penultimate XCAT Round

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