The 2026 UIM Offshore World Championship Class 3D opens at Rodi Garganico on 18-21 June. Nine boats are entered from six nations. The event runs simultaneously with the 2026 FIM Italian Championship Class Offshore 5000 and the 2026 FIM Italian Championship Offshore One Green Class.
The Class
Class 3D (Open 400) catamarans run twin outboard engines producing up to 400hp. The minimum weight with crew is 1,950 kg. Top speed exceeds 100 kph. The 2026 season introduces the new Mercury 200hp ROS four-stroke engine alongside the existing two-stroke equipment, and the two specifications race different lap configurations.
Two-stroke boats run a lap of approximately 3.58 nautical miles. Four-stroke ROS boats run a shorter lap of approximately 2.15 nautical miles. In Race 1 (short course), two-stroke boats complete 16 laps from a 2.69 Nm starting leg; four-stroke boats complete 14 shorter laps from the same start. In Race 2 (long course), two-stroke boats complete 11 laps; four-stroke boats complete 6 laps. Total race distances are broadly comparable across both specifications.
Entry List
| Boat | Team | Crew | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| D6 | Associazione Motonautica Venezia (Blu Banca) | Giampaolo Montavoci / Francis Notschaele | ITA/BEL |
| D8 | Associazione Motonautica Venezia (Tessilmare) | Fabio Magnani / Lorenzo Prosperi | ITA |
| D10 | La Vita Loca | Giovanni Carpitella / Andrea Bacchi | ITA |
| D17 | Associazione Motonautica Venezia (Houses Technology) | Roberto Lopiano / Leopoldo Assi / Fernando De Mitri (TBC) | ITA |
| D20 | Blu Banca | Serafino Barlesi / Joakim Kumlin | ITA/SWE |
| D55 | Energima | Erik Sundblad Johansen / Arild Magnussen / Stian Isaksen (one reserve, TBC) | NOR |
| D86 | Groth-Fyrö Racing | Fredrik Groth Fyrö / Filip Eriksson | SWE |
| D96 | CSB Racing | François Pinelli / Saul Bubacco / Davide Ficotto | FRA/ITA |
| D101 | Johnsson Racing | Markus Johnsson / Jussy Myllymäki | FIN |
Who to Watch
Serafino Barlesi and Joakim Kumlin (D20, Blu Banca) come in as defending champions, having won the 2025 world title. Class 1 multiple champion Giampaolo Montavoci races D6 alongside Francis Notschaele, who returns to the co-pilot seat for 2026.
Fredrik Groth Fyrö and Filip Eriksson (D86, Groth-Fyrö Racing, Sweden) are among the entries to watch, as is the French crew of François Pinelli and Saul Bubacco (D96, CSB Racing), reunited after racing together previously and running the new Mercury ROS engines. D8, also run by Associazione Motonautica Venezia under the Tessilmare banner, is another ROS-equipped entry.
D55 (Energima, Norway) sees Erik Sundblad Johansen with a new crew for 2026, also on ROS engines. D10 (La Vita Loca) runs Giovanni Carpitella. D17 (Associazione Motonautica Venezia, Houses Technology) carries a new bright yellow livery and is piloted by Roberto Lopiano and Leopoldo Assi. D101 (Johnsson Racing, Finland) completes the field with Markus Johnsson and Jussy Myllymäki.
Race Schedule
| Session | Local Time (CEST, UTC+2) | Your Time |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 18 June | ||
| Class 3D / Class 5000 Registration & Technical Scrutineering | 15:00–17:00 | 13:00–15:00 BST |
| Drivers’ Briefing WC Offshore Class 3D / IC Offshore 5000 | 17:30 | 15:30 BST |
| Friday 19 June | ||
| Free Practice & Pole Position WC Offshore Class 3D / IC Offshore 5000 | 10:00–12:00 | 08:00–10:00 BST |
| Offshore One Green Class Registration & Technical Scrutineering | 14:00–15:00 | 12:00–13:00 BST |
| Race 1 (Short Course) – Class 3D & Class 5000 | 16:00–17:30 | 14:00–15:30 BST |
| Drivers’ Briefing IC Offshore One Green Class | 18:30 | 16:30 BST |
| Saturday 20 June | ||
| Free Practice WC Offshore Class 3D / IC Offshore 5000 / Offshore One Green Class | 10:30–12:00 | 08:30–10:00 BST |
| Sunday 21 June | ||
| Free Practice WC Offshore Class 3D / IC Offshore 5000 / Offshore One Green Class | 09:00–10:30 | 07:00–08:30 BST |
| Race 2 (Long Course) – Class 3D, Class 5000 & One Green Class | 11:30–13:00 | 09:30–11:00 BST |
| Prize Ceremony – All Classes | 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.
Organiser: Associazione Motonautica Gargano (FIM Affiliated), Via Scalo Marittimo, 71012, Rodi Garganico (FG).
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: Hotel Frontemare Villaggio, Hotel Albano, Villa a Mare, Hotel Solaria, and Albergo Villa Vittoria. All within 1-2 kilometres of the marina. Early booking is advised during peak Italian summer season.
Event General Secretariat: Vincenzo Di Battista, +39 (0)884 965398. Email: [email protected]
Race 1: Blu Banca Sit Out in Protest
Reigning champions Blu Banca did not start Race 1, protesting a course split by engine type. François Pinelli and Saul Bubacco won for D96 Foresti & Suardi.
Read the Full ReportRace 2: Gasbeton Wins as Blu Banca Return to the Podium
The engine-based course split was scrapped for Race 2. Andrea Bacchi and Giovanni Carpitella took the win for D10 Gasbeton, with Blu Banca back on the podium in third.
Read the Full ReportThe 2026 Championship Calendar
The 2026 Class 3D championship was originally scheduled to run over four rounds, with Round 3 at Öregrund, Sweden (4-6 August) between Arendal and Trani. That round has since been dropped from the UIM’s own calendar. As things stand, the championship concludes at Arendal, Norway (29 July-1 August) and Trani, Italy (9-13 September).
UIM Offshore World Championship Coverage
Powerboat News covers the 2026 Class 3D World Championship.
View All UIM Class 3 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.
