P1: Season opener changed to Yalta, Ukraine

POWERBOAT P1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2010 Powerboat P1 World Championship will launch in Yalta, Ukraine May 7, replacing Croatia as the first event of the upcoming season.

London-based rights holder, Powerboat P1 Management Ltd, has been forced to make a late change to the schedule after local promoter, AM Info Media, failed to meet a deadline to deliver the required level of funding to stage the event. AM Info Media had been awarded a three-year agreement last year by Powerboat P1 to stage the Croatia Grand Prix of the Sea in Split.

Powerboat P1 Chief Operating Officer, Robert Wicks, said, "AM Info Media had good intentions but unfortunately has missed the deadline. A great deal of effort had gone into the planning for this event, but in the end we were left with no alternative but to remove Croatia from the calendar.

"We are very much looking forward to the opportunity to open the season in the Ukraine in May, given the country's impressive powerboating heritage and passion for Powerboat P1," Wicks added, "Starting a couple of weeks later buys the teams a little more time to prepare for the season and fortunately we have a number of alternative venues eager to secure the rights to stage a replacement round. We will be making an announcement shortly about a further event to be added to the calendar."

The president of Ukraine's Powerboat Federation, Viktor Shemchuk, reported, "We are very happy to open the 2010 season for Powerboat P1 -- it will be an honor and a privilege to do so."

With more than 20 teams confirmed, the 2010 P1 World Championship promises to be one of the most exciting in Powerboat P1's eight-year history.

-source: powerboat p1