Qatar Returns to World Championship After Decade
The State of Qatar makes its return to the international powerboat racing calendar this weekend when Doha hosts the final round of the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship for the first time in 10 years.
Aquabike Promotion and the Doha Marine Sports Club will stage the three-day Old Doha Port Grand Prix of Qatar on Doha Bay from October 30 to November 1. The event serves as both the deciding round of the World Championship and the stand-alone Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship.
A provisional entry of 90 riders from 19 nations will compete across five categories, with 28 in Runabout GP1, 23 in Ski Division GP1, 13 in Ski Ladies GP1, 12 in Freestyle and 14 in the Asian Continental section.
Medori Holds Commanding Lead
François Medori arrives in Doha with a perfect record after winning all four Runabout GP1 Motos contested so far this season. The Corsican racer holds a 16-point advantage over Jéremy Perez heading into the finale, whilst defending World Champion Samuel Johansson somehow retains third in the rankings despite collecting just three points from the second heat in Sardinia.
The 28-rider field includes Pierre-François Savelli, Robin Laforge, György Kasza, Andrzej Wisniewski, Martin Doulik and Linus Lindberg. Qatar will be represented by Khalid Al-Mohannadi and Waleed Al-Sharshani, with the Emirati trio of Khalid Al-Maazmi, Khalifa Belsalah and Mohammed Mohsin boosting the regional entry.
The Qatar event marks the dramatic return of five-time World Champion Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq alongside fellow Kuwaiti riders Rashed Al-Dawas and Ahmad Al-Khadhari.
Tight Battle for Ski Division Crown
Denmark’s Oliver Koch Hansen brings an 11-point lead over Jéremy Poret into the Ski Division GP1 title fight. Three gripping Motos in Sardinia two weeks ago saw Belgian Quinten Bossche take a pair of victories either side of a lone win for Mickael Poret.
Reliability problems have hampered defending champion Bossche throughout the season. Three Moto wins have been offset by three retirements, leaving the Ostende racer sixth in the standings behind Koch Hansen, Jéremy Poret, Japan’s Toshi O’Hara, Mickael Poret and young Belgian Yoni Hamelin.
All title contenders will line up in Doha alongside former champion Kevin Reiterer, Anthony Beernaut, Morgan Poret, Benjamin Scharff and Axel Courtois. Nizar Abuljadayel represents the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the only GCC entrant in the field.
Ladies Title Goes Down to the Wire
The Ski Ladies GP1 championship promises a classic finale with 13 riders making the trip to Qatar for the three-Moto showdown. Estelle Poret holds a slender seven-point cushion over Benedicte Drange, with defending champion Jasmiin Ypraus a further point behind in third. Naomi Benini and Virginie Morlaes are tied for fourth, albeit 35 points adrift of the leader.
Drange has claimed four wins from six Motos but suffered a costly retirement from the third heat in Indonesia. Poret has never finished off the podium and won one heat, whilst Ypraus recorded one victory and four podium finishes before engine problems struck in Sardinia.
The Estonian’s primary machine failed to start and she was forced to use her back-up ski, which misfired around the course to collect just 10 points. That moment could prove decisive in deciding the world title.
Jessica Chavanne endured a difficult weekend in Sardinia and the new European champion will be hoping for better fortune on Doha Bay. She lines up alongside Sofie and Jonna Borgström, Héloïse Delcluze, River Varner, Joana Graça, Janina Johansson and French newcomer Emy Garcia.
Freestyle Showdown
The Freestyle category has attracted 12 entrants. Defending European champion and current World Championship leader Roberto Mariani tops the field, with defending champion and title rival Rashid Al-Mulla from Abu Dhabi just 10 points behind. Massimo Accumolo sits three points further back in the bronze medal position, with Portugal’s Paulo Nuñes fourth.
Six Qatari riders feature in the provisional field: Abdulaziz Al-Abdullah, Nayef Al-Nama, Salem Al-Kubaisi, Issa Al-Assi, Abdulrahman Al-Sulaiti and Bader Al-Abdullah will be hoping for success in front of home crowds. They are joined by Kuwait’s Aziz Al-Armeli and Saudi Arabia’s Nizar Abuljadayel.
Asian Continental Championship
Fourteen riders will contest the Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship across three Motos. Four will represent Qatar, with five from the UAE, four from Saudi Arabia and one from Kuwait. Mahmoud Abumaali, Khalaf Al-Kuwari, Waleed Al-Ibrahim and Waleed Al-Sharshani will fly the Qatari flag, with Abdullah Al-Fadhel lining up for Kuwait.
Weekend Schedule
Registration and scrutineering formalities take place on Wednesday, October 29. Thursday’s hectic timetable sees free practice sessions begin at 09.30hrs, followed by nearly two hours of practice for all categories. The afternoon features qualifying and pole position sessions.
Friday’s action kicks off at 10.00hrs with the first Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship Moto, followed by opening heats for Ski Ladies GP1 and Ski Division GP1. Second Motos follow in the afternoon before Runabout GP1 and Freestyle competitors take part in their first heats.
The evening’s entertainment will be rounded off by a Parallel Slalom competition and Freestyle night show to entertain spectators in the Old Port area on Doha Corniche.
Saturday morning opens with qualifying for the Qatar International Cup and a session for non-qualified Runabout GP2 riders. Further free practice follows before a Moto for the Qatar International Cup completes the morning programme.
The third Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship Moto opens Saturday afternoon’s action before the final Ski Ladies GP1 and Ski GP1 Motos decide the World Championship outcomes. Runabout GP1 and Freestyle competitors then take to the water for their second Motos, bringing the curtain down on the UIM-ABP Aquabike Circuit Pro World Championship season.
Event Timetable
| Session | Local time (AST, UTC+3) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, October 29 | ||
| Registration and Technical Scrutineering | 10:00 – 12:00 | |
| Fuel Distribution | 10:00 – 12:00 | |
| Registration and Technical Scrutineering | 13:00 – 16:30 | |
| Fuel Distribution | 14:00 – 16:00 | |
| Engine test allowed | 13:00 – 16:30 | |
| Thursday, October 30 | ||
| Engine test allowed | 08:30 – 16:30 | |
| Riders Briefing | 08:30 – 09:00 | |
| Fuel Distribution | 09:00 – 11:00 | |
| Free Practice Runabout GP2 ACC Group A | 09:30 – 10:00 | |
| Free Practice Runabout GP2 ACC Group B | 10:00 – 10:30 | |
| Free Practice (Ski Ladies, Ski Division, Runabout, Freestyle) | 10:30 – 12:15 | |
| Qualifications Runabout GP2 ACC Group A | 12:15 – 12:35 | |
| Qualifications Runabout GP2 ACC Group B | 12:35 – 12:55 | |
| Qualifications Runabout Group B | 12:55 – 13:50 | |
| Fuel Distribution | 13:00 – 14:00 | |
| Pole Position (Ski Ladies GP1, Ski Division GP1, Runabout GP1) | 14:45 – 17:00 | |
| Pole Position Runabout GP2 ACC | 17:00 – 17:25 | |
| Pole Position Freestyle | 17:25 – 17:45 | |
| Friday, October 31 | ||
| Engine test allowed | 08:30 – 16:30 | |
| Fuel Distribution | 08:30 – 09:30 | |
| Riders Briefing | 09:00 – 09:30 | |
| Moto 1 Runabout GP2 ACC | 10:00 – 10:30 | |
| Moto 1 (Ski Ladies, Ski Division) | 10:30 – 11:45 | |
| Fuel Distribution | 11:00 – 12:00 | |
| Moto 2 Runabout GP2 ACC | 13:30 – 14:00 | |
| Moto 2 (Ski Ladies GP1, Ski Division GP1) | 14:00 – 15:15 | |
| Moto 1 (Runabout GP1, Freestyle) | 15:20 – 16:30 | |
| Parallel Slalom and Freestyle Night Show | 18:30 – 20:30 | |
| Saturday, November 1 | ||
| Engine test allowed | 08:30 – 16:30 | |
| Riders Briefing | 09:00 – 09:30 | |
| Fuel Distribution | 09:00 – 09:30 | |
| Qatar International Cup Runabout GP2 Pole Position | 10:00 – 10:30 | |
| Free Practice (Ski Ladies, Ski Division, Runabout, Freestyle) | 10:30 – 11:30 | |
| Qatar International Cup Runabout GP2 Moto | 11:30 – 12:00 | |
| Fuel Distribution | 13:00 – 14:30 | |
| Moto 3 Runabout GP2 ACC | 13:30 – 14:00 | |
| Moto 3 (Ski Ladies GP1, Ski Division GP1) | 14:00 – 15:15 | |
| Moto 2 (Runabout GP1, Freestyle) | 15:20 – 16:30 | |
| Prize Giving Ceremony | 17:00 | |
| Press Conference | 17:30 | |
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.
