The Union Internationale Motonautique has opened public voting for its 2025 Driver of the Year and Junior Driver of the Year awards, with submissions accepted until December 16.
Seven senior nominees and four junior nominees representing six powerboat racing disciplines will compete for the recognition. The public vote determines the top two candidates in each category, whose results will count as one third of the final decision alongside votes cast by UIM Council Members.
Senior Category Nominees
Circuit Racing
Swedish driver Mathilda Wiberg secured the UIM Formula 2 World Championship to become the first woman to claim a UIM Formula World Championship title. The 22-year-old from Stockholm, who began racing in 2016, has a competitive record which includes the 2019 Offshore 3J World Championship and the 2023 UIM Endurance S3 World Championship, alongside bronze medals in the F4 European and World Championships. Beyond competition, Wiberg coordinates anti-doping education and youth training initiatives whilst working with the E1 Series.
Italian veteran Guido Cappellini won the Pavia-Venezia Raid in September, setting a new speed record of 415 kilometres in 1 hour 41 minutes 54 seconds at an average of 207.26 kilometres per hour using a 4-stroke engine. The 66-year-old holds 10 UIM F1H2O World Championship titles spanning from 1993 to 2009, making him the most decorated Formula 1 driver in powerboat racing history. His performance in the 72nd edition of the legendary endurance event demonstrated technical mastery and competitive fitness across a career lasting multiple decades.
Electric Racing
Finnish driver Emma Kimiläinen secured back-to-back UIM E1 World Championships with Team Brady alongside teammate Sam Coleman in 2024 and 2025. The 36-year-old, who began her career in Northern European single-seaters before progressing through Audi’s Formula Masters programme, transitioned to electric powerboat racing after competing in the W Series, where she finished third overall in 2021 with a victory at Spa. Beyond racing, Kimiläinen works as a television and radio host in Finland whilst balancing family commitments as a mother.
Aquabike
Arianna Urlo captured the UIM Runabout GP4 Ladies World Championship in her fourth season of competition. The 22-year-old Italian secured runner-up finishes in both the 2023 World Championship and 2024 Italian Championship before delivering a dominant 2025 campaign that included both the Italian Runabout F4 title and her first world championship. Her technical approach and steady competitive progression through the aquabike categories have established her amongst Italy’s emerging talents in the discipline.
MotoSurf
Czech athlete Lukáš Záhorský returned to premier-class competition in 2025 after briefly stepping away at the end of 2023, earning double gold medals at The World Games in Chengdu in both the Men’s class and Nations Cup. The 24-year-old has claimed six Elite/Open World Championship titles since 2016, including a perfect 2018 season where he won every race. Representing Rocket Racing and holding a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Záhorský combines technical expertise with competitive success whilst mentoring younger riders in the Czech motorsport community.
Offshore Racing
Giuseppe Schiano Di Cola won the 2024 XCAT World Championship and finished third in the 2025 standings racing for HPI Fujairah Racing Team alongside his brother. The 31-year-old Italian, who made his XCAT debut in 2018 at the Fujairah Grand Prix, secured second place in the 2023 championship before claiming the title the following season. Beyond racing, Schiano Di Cola serves as technical manager at Hi Performance Italia, the nautical company founded by his father Antonio, combining professional expertise in boat performance with competitive success.
Junior Category Nominees
Estonian circuit racer Paul Richard Laur claimed the UIM GT-15 Junior World Championship, GT-15 European Championship silver medal, and GT-15 Nordic Championship in 2025. The 16-year-old demonstrated speed and consistency across multiple championship formats, establishing himself amongst the most promising young circuit racers. His ambitions include progression through the sport’s premier categories with an eventual goal of competing for the UIM F1H2O World Championship.
Czech MotoSurf athlete Eliška Matoušková secured her third consecutive UIM MotoSurf World Championship in the Women’s class from 2023 to 2025, adding double gold medals at The World Games in Chengdu in both the Women’s class and Nations Cup. The 17-year-old, who represents Rocket Racing and the Czech Powerboating Federation, previously claimed the 2023 MotoSurf Europe Women’s Championship and back-to-back UIM Junior Girl European Championships in 2020 and 2021. Her background includes competitive alpine skiing until 2023, and she continues high school studies in Jihlava whilst pursuing university ambitions.
Austrian MotoSurf competitor Leo Lichal-Kratochvil began racing in 2021 after completing a course at the Jetsurf Academy in the Czech Republic. The 13-year-old became the youngest competitor in MotoSurf history to participate in the UIM MotoSurf World Cup in 2022, achieving 12th place in Croatia. His progression through junior competition includes an eighth-place overall finish in 2023 and fifth overall in the 2025 Junior ranking across events in the UAE, Turkey, Italy, and Croatia.
Italian aquabike racer Aurora Filiberti finished second in the Aquabike Runabout GP4 Junior category at both the UIM World and European Championships in 2025, alongside third-place finishes in the GP4 Ladies category at the same events. The 15-year-old from Gallarate, who represents Moto d’Acqua Italia, transitioned to aquabike after knee problems prevented her from pursuing artistic gymnastics. She balances high school studies with international competition whilst developing organisational skills through rigorous training schedules.
Public voting remains open through December 16 via the official UIM form. The top two nominees in each category determined by public vote will contribute one third of the final result, with UIM Council Members casting the remaining votes.
John Moore’s 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 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
