XCAT takes first dip in Atlantic Ocean

18 May 2015, Dubai – XCAT action is set to resume with the third round of the UIM XCAT Powerboat World Series set to take place in the stunning town of Cascais, 30km west of Portugal’s capital Lisbon for the very first time.

Dubbed the greatest motorsport series on water, XCAT racing sees teams of two pilots (driver and throttleman) in two-engined, carbon fibre boats contesting an all-out battle of speed. These boats can reach close to 200km on the water and race close to the shore, so providing a thrilling display for spectators.

Photo by: Rui Cunha

The 13 international teams will begin racing on June 12, with the main race, the Cascais GP, taking place on Sunday, June 14.

A series of meetings took place in Cascais between the municipality, the Portuguese Powerboat Federation, the Cascais yacht club and Marina and the World Professional Powerboating Association (WPPA) – promoters of the UIM XCAT World Series, in which an ideal location was chosen to host the event.

“We are thrilled to be taking XCAT racing to Portugal for the first time,” said the WPPA’s newly appointed CEO, Ronan Morgan, who will travel to Portugal this week to finalise arrangements with the local organising committee. “So far, we have had extremely fruitful discussions with all the parties concerned, planning is on track, and we’re looking forward to a spectacular event.

“The race village and race course will be set up in such a way that everything is within walking distance, so providing a fantastic viewing experience for spectators. We expect a throng of both tourists and the local community to converge on the area to witness something truly special,” added Morgan.

Photo by: Rui Cunha

Steeped in history and bursting with natural beauty, it’s easy to understand why Cascais is such a popular tourist destination. And not just for regular tourists – but royalty too, with the Spanish royal family having chosen this picturesque seaside town as their vacation spot back in the 19^th Century, and many royals following in their footsteps.

But Cascais is not only about history (which, incidentally dates back some 5000 years). This is where the beautiful Atlantic Ocean laps spectacular sandy beaches while the Sinta Mountains provide beauty of another kind in the north.

When it comes to sport, the UIM XCAT World Series is certainly not the first international event to visit these shores. Cascais boasts an impressive list of popular sporting events including tennis and motorsport as well as having hosted the ISAF Sailing World Championships back in 2007.

Team Abu Dhabi. Photo by: Raffaello Bastiani

Newcomers Team Abu Dhabi (Rashed Al Tayer and Faleh Al Mansoori) are the current leaders of the UIM XCAT World Series after their first-round victory in Fujairah and their second-place finish in round two in Dubai in February.

Chasing them for that top spot are teams from the Italy, Sweden, Australia and the UAE.

With 35 points on offer for victory in Cascais, there’ll be plenty on the line as the 13 teams line up in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.