Toni Kade Dominates UIM GT15 European Championship
The historic Östhammar circuit, located 140 kilometres north of Stockholm, witnessed a masterclass in powerboat racing this weekend as Finland’s Toni Kade claimed the 2025 UIM GT15 European Championship title with an emphatic victory.
Championship Decided in Style
In a weekend that showcased the very best of junior powerboat racing, Kade delivered when it mattered most, securing three heat victories across the four-race championship to finish with a commanding 1,500 points – a massive 200-point margin over runner-up Paul Richard Laur of Estonia.
The 14-year-old Finnish sensation proved unstoppable on the challenging 1,030-meter circuit, which features five turn marks and a demanding 400-meter main straight between buoys three and four. Kade’s victories in Heats 1, 3, and 4 demonstrated both consistency and racecraft that belied his young age.
Nordic Battle Royale
The championship lived up to expectations with the Nordic nations dominating the podium positions. Finland claimed both first and third places, with Joni Inkinen securing the final podium spot with 732 points, while Estonia’s Paul Richard Laur fought valiantly throughout the weekend to claim second overall.
International Competition
The championship attracted 16 drivers from seven nations, reflecting the truly international appeal of the GT15 class.
Representing Great Britain were Poppy Stewart and Zach Jelf – son of UIM F2 racer Owen Jelf – while single entries from Latvia’s Reinis Sturis and Bulgaria’s Petar Stoyanov added to the international flavour.
Looking Ahead
This victory caps off what has been an exceptional season for Finnish powerboat racing, with Kade adding the European title to his growing collection of accolades. The young champion’s dominant performance in Sweden suggests he will be a force to be reckoned with in future international competitions.
For Paul Richard Laur, the silver medal represents another strong championship campaign, building on his impressive racing pedigree that includes previous UIM titles and multiple national championships across Estonia and the Baltic region.
Championship Statistics
Total Drivers: 16
Nations Represented: 7
Heats Completed: 4
Circuit Length: 1,030 meters
Turn Marks: 5
Main Straight: 400 meters
| 2015 UIM GT15 European Championship | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Driver | Country | Heat 1 | Heat 2 | Heat 3 | Heat 4 | Total Points |
| 1 | Toni Kade | 🇫🇮 FIN | 400 | 300 | 400 | 400 | 1500 |
| 2 | Paul Richard Laur | 🇪🇪 EST | 300 | 400 | 300 | 300 | 1300 |
| 3 | Joni Inkinen | 🇫🇮 FIN | 169 | 169 | 225 | 169 | 732 |
| 4 | Reinis Sturis | 🇱🇻 LAT | 95 | 71 | 169 | 225 | 560 |
| 5 | Valter Laine | 🇫🇮 FIN | 127 | 225 | 127 | 5 | 484 |
| 6 | Karl Joonas Kukk | 🇪🇪 EST | 225 | 127 | 5 | 7 | 364 |
| 7 | Petar Stoyanov | 🇧🇬 BGR | 71 | 95 | 71 | 127 | 364 |
| 8 | Poppy Stewart | 🇬🇧 GBR | 40 | 40 | 95 | 95 | 270 |
| 9 | Zach Jelf | 🇬🇧 GBR | 30 | 30 | 53 | 71 | 184 |
| 10 | Adele Servin | 🇫🇮 FIN | 53 | 53 | 40 | 30 | 176 |
| 11 | Jaroslav Bassov | 🇪🇪 EST | 22 | 5 | 30 | 53 | 110 |
| 12 | Hermanni Pöntinen | 🇫🇮 FIN | 17 | 22 | 22 | 40 | 101 |
| 13 | Alvin Lindahl | 🇸🇪 SWE | 13 | 17 | 17 | 22 | 69 |
| 14 | Isak Tolshagen | 🇸🇪 SWE | 9 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 52 |
| 15 | Tuukka Kotokorpi | 🇫🇮 FIN | 13 | 22 | 22 | 40 | 36 |
| 16 | Adrian Åkerblom | 🇸🇪 SWE | 5 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 30 |
John Moore has a longstanding involvement in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism. He organised the historic Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013 and was actively involved with British offshore racing from 2017 until 2025.
In 2017, Moore founded Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news, insights, and event coverage.
He is now Editor of Powerboat.News, continuing to contribute to the sport’s media landscape with in-depth reporting and analysis.
