The president of the Federação Portuguesa de Motonáutica (FPM) joined municipal leaders from the Douro region at Portugal’s largest tourism trade fair on Thursday, promoting UIM F2 World Championship racing as part of the Douro Valley’s tourism offer.
Paulo Ferreira appeared at the CIM Douro stand at BTL (Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market) 2026 alongside José Manuel Gonçalves, president of the Peso da Régua municipality, councillor Rui Anjos Teixeira, and Catarina Ribeiro, vice president of the Lamego municipality. The group was photographed in front of the “Discover Douro” exhibition, which carries the slogan “Que Douro és tu?” (Which Douro are you?).
Paulo Costa, director general of Global Sport, an events, marketing and communications company involved in F2 race organisation in the Douro region, described the gathering as an example of territorial unity.
Together in the promotion of great events held in the heart of our Douro. A privilege to have this inspiring leadership with a shared vision to enhance the Douro that we all love. An example of territorial unity that allows us to gain scale and affirm, more and more, the Douro in the world.
Paulo Costa, Director General, Global Sport
The CIM Douro stand represents all 19 municipalities of the Douro intermunicipal community. According to ViveDouro, the regional tourism platform, the stand attracted thousands of visitors on its second day, with councils presenting their tourism offers through tastings of local products and event presentations.
Powerboat racing as a Douro tourism product
The FPM president’s presence at BTL positions powerboat racing within the broader Douro tourism offer rather than as a standalone sport. Peso da Régua, which sits on the River Douro, has hosted UIM F2 World Championship rounds since 2023. The municipality of Lamego co-supports the Peso da Régua event, with both towns sitting on opposite banks of the Douro.
The 2026 F2 calendar features back-to-back Portuguese rounds to close the season. Peso da Régua hosts round four on September 18-20 and Vila Velha de Ródão stages the finale on September 25-27. Both venues have established themselves as regular fixtures on the F2 calendar, with Vila Velha de Ródão serving as the season-closing round.
The 2025 F2 World Championship concluded at Vila Velha de Ródão with Mathilda Wiberg claiming the title to become the first woman to win a UIM Formula-class world championship. The dramatic finale drew international attention to the Portuguese venues.
BTL 2026
BTL runs from February 25 to March 1 at FIL in Parque das Nações, Lisbon. Organised by Fundação AIP and supported by Turismo de Portugal, the event brings together over 1,500 exhibitors from Portugal and around the world. The first three days are reserved for industry professionals, with the weekend open to the general public.
The 2026 F2 season opens at Klaipėda, Lithuania on June 5-7 before heading to Brindisi, Italy on June 26-28. The inaugural UIM F2 European Championship takes place at Viverone, Italy on August 7-9, with San Nazzaro hosting the third World Championship round on August 28-30 before the championship moves to Portugal for its conclusion.
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.
