The list of venues and countries signing up to host the WPPA (World Professional Powerboating Association) Class One World Powerboat Championship is growing. From last season's field of eight there is enough indication that the number is likely to cross the dozen mark.

The last season of the Powerboat Championship (the equivalent of Formula One on water) produced a number of highs for the sport. If F1 rookie Lewis Hamilton missed out on the chance to win the championship honours, another rookie in the powerboats, Arif Al Zafeen of Victory 77, made sure there were no such hiccups.

Last season's highlights included the UAE-based team winning top honours, five-times Class 1 World Powerboat Champion Bjorn Rune Gjelsten of the Spirit of Norway team announcing his retirement from the sport and Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al-Thani, president of Qatar Motor Sport Federation, buying the Spirit of Norway team.

'The last season of the Powerboat Championship (the equivalent of Formula One on water) produced a number of highs for the sport'


The Victory 77 team of Al Zafeen and JM Sanchez finished the championship with 144 points, followed by Spirit of Norway team comprising of Gjelsten and Steve Curtis with 118 points.

The Championship race was a triangular fight up to the end of the Egyptian Grand Prix with the teams heading for the eighth leg in Doha. Victory 77, Qatar 96 and Spirit of Norway were all in contention until Victory 77 beat them all to the top prize.

In Doha, Al Zafeen and his partner made sure they got the first spot. Victory 77 won the overall Championship with one race still to go, thus leaving the other contenders to fight for the remaining spots.