The initial picture you would get when someone mentions racing in the Middle East is, possibly, camel racing or sports-car racing. But what has been taking the region by storm is powerboat racing in all its action and glory. With 12.8 metre powerboats using twin-engines that race at speeds over 100km per hour, power racing is a sport that demands a display of both skill and courage.
While this pastime hasn’t hit Lebanon and Jordan yet, the Gulf countries and Egypt are teeming with powerboat competitions. Arguably the most prestigious, the Formula 1 UIM World Championship and the Class 1 World Powerboat Championship, have boasted many a participating team and winner from the Arab world. “Egypt, Qatar and the UAE are already on the 2008 calendar for Class 1,” says Nigel Quilter, the event’s PR and Media manager, “and it’s amazing how many cities and countries want to sign up to be part of the circuit.”
October 2007 saw the powerboat named Spirit of Norway triumph over the Qatar 96 Class 1 fleet by 30 seconds, at the Class 1 round held at Porto Marina in Egypt. This kicked off the Egyptian Grand Prix, marking one of the four races held in the Middle East, out of overall six races. In fact, the first-half of the 2007 season had been dominated by Middle East teams who beat the European ones in all but one race.
In December of last year, UAE national Arif Saif Al Zafeen and co-pilot Jean Marc Sanchez grabbed the 2007 WPPA Class 1 World Powerboat Championship held in Mina Siyahi, Dubai. In the second of four races of the 2007 F1 World Championship for power boating held in Qatar, Emirates team driver Thani Al Qamzi lost by five seconds to Italian Guido Cappellini. Nonetheless, Al Qamzi had won two of the last three such events, helping position his native UAE as a major player. Saudi Arabia also recently snatched a piece of the powerboat pie. Jeddah hosted its round of the Formula 2000 UIM Powerboat World Cup Series in October 2007, while earlier in January of that same year, Abha held a similar event, racing for local championship with a view to entering the competition on the world circuit.
But where did all the interest in powerboat racing come from? One theory has it that in the Gulf, where people have been fond of camel racing since time immemorial, powerboat racing is a natural progression of the region’s desire to partake in racing activities. Powerboat racing is also a new, refreshing variation in adventure sports, attracting large audiences to the Arab world and promoting leisure.
There is also a business dynamic to powerboat racing in the region, considering the coverage it managed to harness and all the sponsorships deals that come from such a sporting event. “The interest in power boating is certainly reflected in all the TV and media attention it’s getting,” says Quilter, “as the official Class 1 programme is transmitted across 56 countries to over 250 million viewers.” Estimates put figures at over 700 hours of broadcast-time for 2008. “In addition to airing of the produced version of the race, Class 1 was broadcast live in Qatar and Dubai,” adds Quilter. The event seems to be taking on the importance of the F1 Race, with an approval process required for journalists, 500 of whom have received the necessary accreditation.
Sponsorship also is proving to be important to regional and international companies, such as the UAE-based plastics manufacturer Bourouge, which sponsored the F1 Emirates Team for the F1 World Powerboat Championship in 2006. This gave the company and many others global exposure as the Championship made its way through several countries, including Greece, Italy, Malaysia, China, and the UAE with an estimated TV audience of 70 million viewers.
Dubai Holding recently invested about 408,000 USD to sponsor the Victory F1 Powerboat team, giving more credibility to the sport and positioning powerboat racing as a major advertising medium. Not to be outdone by Dubai Duty Free and Emirates Airlines, or for that matter, Etisalat. The UAE’s premier telecom company recently announced its sponsorship of the Abu Dhabi Marine Sport Festival, including the Formula 1 UIM World Championship which kicked off in December 2007. “The powerboat championship firmly places Abu Dhabi on the international map for major marine world championships,” says Ahmed Bin Ali, vice president of corporate communications at Etisalat, adding that the company wanted “to bring to the people of the UAE the best that the world has to offer.”
But the sport is not only about promoting local and regional companies. “Many international companies see powerboat racing as a medium to expose their products in the Middle East through sponsorship of the World Championship,” says Matthew Argenti, marketing manager at Class 1. “Sponsors include the Swiss-based Edox Watches, NorTech who manufacture high-end boats, and Cliff & Dune that produce exclusive clothing.” These companies among others have realised the potential that powerboat branding and sponsorship have in penetrating new markets, such as the Middle East.
On a curious final note, there are plans to use high-speed powerboats as water taxis in Dubai by the end of 2008, which can be booked by phone, to beat traffic on congested roads. Here’s another first for the Emirate and also another medium for advertising. Powerboats, it seems, may not only be the future of racing, but also of efficient transport.
Contacts
Formula 1UIM World Championship
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Tel +377 92 0525 22
HYPERLINK www.uimpowerboating.com www.uimpowerboating.com
Class 1 World Powerboat Championship
Surrey, UK
Tel +44 1252 728657
HYPERLINK www.class-1.com www.class-1.com
