The 2026 UIM Offshore World Championship Class 3D opens at Rodi Garganico on 18-21 June. Nine boats are entered from six nations. Race 1 runs Friday at 16:00 local time on a short course. Race 2 runs Sunday at 11:30 local time over long distance. Combined results decide the round winner.
The Class
Class 3D boats run twin outboard engines with a combined boat-and-crew weight limit of 550 kilograms. Top speed exceeds 100 kph. The 2026 season sees a transition in progress: the Mercury 200 XS two-stroke remains in use alongside the newly permitted Mercury 250hp four-stroke. The race course runs parallel to the town beaches before heading out toward the Tremiti Islands and returning to the start gate at the Porto Turistico.
Who to Watch
Serafino Barlesi and Joakim Kumlin (D20) come in as defending champions, having won the 2025 world title. Class 1 multiple champion Giampaolo Montavoci fields a boat under his own programme on D6, racing alongside Belgian co-driver Francis Notschaele.
Fredrik Groth Fyrö and Filip Eriksson (D5, Sweden), Fabio Magnani and Lorenzo Prosperi (D8, Italy), Giovanni Carpitella and Andrea Bacchi (D10, Italy), Roberto Lopiano with Fernando De Mitri and Leopoldo Assi (D17, Italy), Erik Sundblad Johansen and André Strand (D55, Norway), François Pinelli, Saul Bubacco and Davide Ficotto (D96, France), and Markus Johnsson and Jussy Myllymäki (D101, Finland) complete the field. Roberto Lopiano returns to competition after a break from the championship.
Race Schedule
| Session | Local Time (CEST, UTC+2) | Your Time |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 18 June | ||
| Registration & Technical Scrutineering | 15:00–19:00 | 13:00–17:00 BST |
| Drivers’ Briefing | 17:30 | 15:30 BST |
| Friday 19 June | ||
| Free Practice & Pole Position | 10:00–12:00 | 08:00–10:00 BST |
| Race 1 (Short Course) | 16:00–17:30 | 14:00–15:30 BST |
| Saturday 20 June | ||
| Free Practice | 10:00–11:00 | 08:00–09:00 BST |
| Sunday 21 June | ||
| Free Practice | 09:00–10:30 | 07:00–08:30 BST |
| Race 2 (Long Course) | 11:30–13:00 | 09:30–11:00 BST |
| Prize Ceremony | After Finish | ~11:00 BST |
Venue and Practical Information
Location: Porto Turistico Rodi Garganico, Gargano Peninsula, Apulia. Approximately 120 kilometres north-east of Bari. Access via the A14 Bologna-Taranto motorway (Poggia Imperiale exit), then the SS693 and SS89 state roads.
Admission: Free to attend. Spectators can watch from the marina waterfront.
Parking: Available at the marina. The organising committee will assign spectator parking zones on arrival.
Accommodation: Five official hotels within 1-2 kilometres of the marina: Hotel Frontemare Villaggio, Hotel Albano, Villa a Mare, Hotel Solaria, and Albergo Villa Vittoria. Early booking is advised during peak Italian summer season.
Event Contact: Vincenzo Di Battista, +39 (0)884 965398. Email: [email protected]
The 2026 Championship Calendar
The 2026 Class 3D championship runs over four rounds. Round 2 follows at Arendal, Norway (30 July-1 August). Round 3 takes place at Öregrund, Sweden (4-6 August). The championship concludes at Trani, Italy (9-13 September).
UIM Offshore World Championship Coverage
Powerboat News covers all four rounds of the 2026 Class 3D World Championship.
View All UIM Offshore Coverage
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.
