Nelson Morin closed out the 2026 UIM F2 World Championship season with victory at the Grand Prix of Vila Velha de Ródão, his second win of the year, but the day belonged to Edgaras Riabko. A fourth-place finish was enough for the Lithuanian to secure his first UIM F2 World Championship title, four points clear of runner-up Mathilda Wiberg.
Morin led home Mathilda Wiberg and Hilmer Wiberg on the podium, with Riabko fourth ahead of Giacomo Sacchi and Tobias Munthe-Kaas.
Morin paid tribute to his team after the race. “Pole position and victory in this F2 World Championship final in Portugal, the perfect weekend for the team,” he said. “A big thank you to my great team that worked hard this season to achieve this result. Special thanks to Fabrice Boulier, who has been trusting me in the driving and development of his boat for three seasons and guiding us in the right direction. Another big thank you to my buddy and radio operator Nicolas Froumentin, who has been giving a lot for our team for years. Without these two people nothing would be possible.”
Morin also had words for the new champion. “Congratulations to the new F2 world champion Edgaras Riabko for his well-deserved title, for his consistency at the front of the pack. We’ll meet again in 2027 for new water battles.”
A Long Time Coming for Riabko
Riabko’s title caps a career that stretches back to at least 2017. The Kaunas driver is a two-time UIM F2 European Champion, but had finished World Championship runner-up on three separate occasions before this year, including in 2020, and was third in last year’s championship. Founder of a youth motorboat academy in his home country, Riabko’s 2026 title arrives after a season that included a win at Brindisi, a lap penalty at Peso da Régua that could have ended his hopes, and a title race that stayed mathematically open for six different drivers heading into this final weekend.
News of the title prompted an emotional reaction back home. Karolis Ramoška, of the Lithuanian Motorboat Federation, wrote on Facebook on Sunday evening: “World champions! Gold for Lithuania! Today it’s hard to put emotions into words. I am immensely proud of Edgaras Riabko and our whole team. Together we’ve taken a huge step in the history of Lithuanian powerboat sport. Behind this victory are years of work, belief, struggle, sleepless nights, and people who never stopped believing. Edgaras Riabko, world champion. This is a victory for all of us, our team, our federation, our Lithuania.”
Grand Prix of Vila Velha de Ródão, Race Result
| Pos | No. | Driver | Country | Gap | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Nelson Morin | France | Winner | 20 |
| 2 | 1 | Mathilda Wiberg | Sweden | +21.657 | 15 |
| 3 | 70 | Hilmer Wiberg | Sweden | +22.798 | 12 |
| 4 | 41 | Edgaras Riabko | Lithuania | +28.897 | 9 |
| 5 | 74 | Giacomo Sacchi | Monaco | +32.159 | 7 |
| 6 | 77 | Tobias Munthe-Kaas | Norway | +32.874 | 5 |
| 7 | 45 | Duarte Benavente | Portugal | +34.982 | 4 |
| 8 | 111 | Peter Morin | France | +41.722 | 3 |
| 9 | 14 | Ian Blacker | Great Britain | +1 lap | 2 |
| 10 | 11 | Bimba Sjöholm | Sweden | +1 lap | 1 |
| 11 | 3 | Owen Jelf | Great Britain | +1 lap | 0 |
| 12 | 7 | Frode Sundsdal | Norway | +3 laps | 0 |
| 13 | 91 | Buby Bertels | Belgium | +4 laps | 0 |
| 14 | 2 | Johan Österberg | Sweden | +6 laps | 0 |
Final 2026 Championship Standings
| Pos | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edgaras Riabko | 46 |
| 2 | Mathilda Wiberg | 42 |
| 3 | Nelson Morin | 36 |
| 4 | Peter Morin | 33 |
| 5 | Hilmer Wiberg | 33 |
| 6 | Tobias Munthe-Kaas | 25 |
| 7 | Giacomo Sacchi | 20 |
| 8 | Ian Blacker | 19 |
| 9 | Owen Jelf | 12 |
| 9 | Duarte Benavente | 12 |
| 11 | Bimba Sjöholm | 10 |
| 12 | Johan Österberg | 6 |
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.
