Photo: EPA/Olga Posaskova / Lithuanian Seimas Office / Handout
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has committed to attending the UIM F2 and F4 World Championship in Klaipėda, after being personally invited by Karolis Ramoška, President of the Lietuvos techninio sporto federacijų and the Lietuvos Motorlaivių Federacija.
The invitation came during what Ramoška described as a historic moment for Lithuanian motorsport: the first state ceremony in the country’s history to honour Dakar Rally winners. Three Lithuanian competitors who finished the 2026 Dakar Rally received awards from Ruginienė herself at an event hosted at her invitation.
Ramoška, used the occasion to extend an invitation to Ruginienė for the Klaipėda powerboat world championship event. The Prime Minister accepted.
I am delighted that I was able to invite the Prime Minister to the F2 and F4 World Championship in Klaipėda, where she has promised to attend.
Ramoška framed the Dakar ceremony as a signal to athletes competing outside the Olympic programme that their results carry weight at the highest level of government. He described it as an important first step for technical sports in Lithuania.
This is an important signal to representatives of non-Olympic sports that their victories are visible and the state values them.
For powerboat racing, the prospect of a sitting prime minister attending a world championship round carries obvious promotional value, both domestically and for the sport’s profile in the Baltic region. Klaipėda has established itself as a credible venue on the UIM circuit, and a high-profile government presence would reinforce that standing.
Ramoška noted that those who did not attend the Dakar ceremony for political or personal reasons were welcome to continue their work regardless, describing the event as only the beginning of a longer road for technical sport in Lithuania.
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.
