News: Powerboat P1 strengthens presence in North America

[Phantom1]

London-based Powerboat P1 Management Ltd. announced today that it plans to export its successful powerboat racing series to the United States with the formation of a North American subsidiary, Powerboat P1 USA.

"The United States market is critical to any multi-national company involved in motorsports marketing," said Asif Rangoonwala, Chairman of Powerboat P1. "We view participation in the USA as an essential element in our growth as a World Championship and as a business."

Powerboat P1 has successfully spent the last two years raising its awareness in the US market and communicating the unique opportunities it has to offer. Series organisers have also been researching possible racing venues to add to the Powerboat P1 World Championship, which has held events on three continents, all sanctioned by the international governing body, the Union Internationiale Motonautique (UIM).

With the recent evolution of powerboat racing in the USA, Powerboat P1 determined that its considerable resources and unique racing format could best be used to help refine the sport in North America, with sanctioning from the USA representative to the UIM, the American Powerboat Association (APBA).

"The APBA represents 107 years of powerboat racing heritage, and is the oldest powerboat federation in the UIM," said Rangoonwala. "The APBA provides a high level of credibility to the sport, and we look forward to producing world class events with its sanctioning."

In December, APBA President, Mark Weber, hosted a meeting at the APBA headquarters in Eastpointe, MI, where he invited all of the US organizations to attend and discuss the future of the sport. The outcome was a positive exchange, where the APBA expressed its desire to embrace offshore racing and bring the sport back together under a common nationally and internationally recognized entity.

A central theme of the meeting included a sentiment that the autonomy and individual identities of the current racing series are important to maintain. However, the credibility and growth of the sport would still rely on a single governing body that can offer prestige and heritage, internationally recognized records and titles, as well as APBA 'Hall of Champions' recognition and speed record validation. Due to the size of the US market, the existing regionally based series could operate under a single national authority [APBA], just as the individual national federations operate with the UIM as the international authority.

The Powerboat P1 USA events will build on the very effective "power to weight ratio" format that has been utilized throughout the European series. Initial plans for the Powerboat P1 USA series include three v-bottom classes. Powerboat P1 USA would then represent a sub-set of other existing classes offered within the APBA offshore category, focusing on a limited number of classes for a Powerboat P1 USA Continental Championship.

The initial two-year plan includes intentions to work with the existing organizations in 2010 to more fully develop their regional races, laying the groundwork for joint productions of key race events in a 2011. Powerboat P1 USA will also work on a focused marketing and promotional campaign to inform potential teams, venues and sponsors of the opportunities and value that a Powerboat P1 event generates on a global scale; but, stresses that it is striving for strong relationships with all of the current racing organizations and event producers.

"Powerboat P1 brings a respected level of professionalism to a series within the APBA," said Weber. "As an APBA sanctioned series, Powerboat P1 will enhance the event value to local producers and to our current organizations."

"With strong regional organizations running their local series and hosting specific P1 USA series events, there's an opportunity for a genuine unification of the sport here that the vast majority of the racers support," said Powerboat P1 USA Director of North American Operations, Martin Sanborn. "APBA has been the backbone of powerboating in the US for over 100 years, and it represents the credibility and consistency that offshore powerboat racing needs to finally bring the sport together with common purpose and internationally compatible rules," he added.

http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=64772

[boatme]

ahhhh very cool

good luck this could be a positive step

[MarylandMark]

[TYPHOON]

Finaly something that makes sense in our sport. Big well funded races where its good for the fans,racers and sponsors. Thanks P-1USA and Martin S.
MD

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Good news.

[imco offshore]

I think this will bring national attention to the sport again, and we will see some great 20boat class racing again .. when you win you really earned it and are reconized for it.

[DAREDEVIL]

Lets hope it all works out and every one of us will find a place again for FUN !!!!!!

[Ratickle]

Nice, would be a great thing to see all our US orgs work together for the Love of the Sport at some key places.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Lets hope it all works out and every one of us will find a place again for FUN !!!!!!

I too hope it works out. For me racing is about MORE than just having Fun.

[DAREDEVIL]

I too hope it works out. For me racing is about MORE than just having Fun.

Well, i guess its my way of saying,,,,there is no fun in racing with what is going on now ?!

GREED and more GREED !!!!!!

Never seen the together we race thing only a couple people here and the others there.......mmmmmmhhhhh

Shouldn't it be like all fun and then on raceday all WAR , untill after the race ?

maybe i get this all wrong......

[imco offshore]

your right scott!!

[Sean Stinson]

This is my definition of UNIFICATION....this is by far a greater step than I had ever invisioned while I was banging the unification drum!!!!

[Wahoo 214]

Unification? Isn't this just another Org fighting for the same boats? We need consolidation and then unification.

[skaterdave]

Unification? Isn't this just another Org fighting for the same boats? We need consolidation and then unification.

well it would be great to see consolidation and unification, but wahoo let me correct your statement above. Apba is a governing body which sanctions races. people that want to race or promote races have to pay a fee to APBA and live by their rules.

so in theory, if OPA wanted to have a apba race, Opa as an ORG would pay a fee and Apba would also require all the racers and crew to become Apba members and pay more fees. so you see where this is leading, right?

[Dunbar 104]

Unification? Isn't this just another Org fighting for the same boats? We need consolidation and then unification.

Unification is not everybody just racing with OPA. Open your mind a little.

[Wahoo 214]

Unification is not everybody just racing with OPA. Open your mind a little.

Wow. Hit a nerve? I never mentioned OPA. Simply stated that more orgs is not what we need. And technically, "everyone running OPA" would be unification by definition.

[Wahoo 214]

well it would be great to see consolidation and unification, but wahoo let me correct your statement above. Apba is a governing body which sanctions races. people that want to race or promote races have to pay a fee to APBA and live by their rules.

so in theory, if OPA wanted to have a apba race, Opa as an ORG would pay a fee and Apba would also require all the racers and crew to become Apba members and pay more fees. so you see where this is leading, right?

I was referring to P1 not APBA.

[Dunbar 104]

Wow. Hit a nerve? I never mentioned OPA. Simply stated that more orgs is not what we need. And technically, "everyone running OPA" would be unification by definition.

Than you do not understand what P1 is proposing.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

The way I read it is a select few classes have an opportunity to compete on a higher level then is currently offered. Participating in one that is offered is real exciting to me.

[Raylar]

I've said it many times in the past on many threads, "The Sport of Powerboat Racing Will Die without an industry and participants who have one united goal!

This might be the best opportunity for this fractured powerboat racing sport to unite and create something that the FANS, RACERS,TEAMS,SPONSRS and INDUSTRY will fully support and enjoy!

Don't kill it with arguing and bickering before it even gets started! Listen, Learn, Support and Paticipate if you are so inclined and maybe , just maybe, we can put this mess back together for the benefit of all!!!

Best Regards,
RAY @ Raylar