When the 2019 APBA Offshore Championship kicks off at Cocoa Beach next weekend, it will feature the return of Class One Offshore Racing.
The series which was run under the sanction of the UIM, saw its last World Championship competed for in Abu Dhabi back in 2016.
The Victory Team took their 15th UIM Class 1 World Title during that November weekend, after that, the series died.
The series has been rebooted for 2019, it will be known as Class One International and competitors will compete over a 6 venue, APBA Offshore Championship this season.
The organisers explain that:
The concept is to re-ignite/continue the historical legacy of Class 1 within the sport of offshore powerboat racing.
Class 1 is and has always been seen as the highest level of powerboat racing as F1 is for four wheeled motorsport.
We have the rights to use the Class 1 logo.
The UIM Class 1 World Championship became an all catamaran affair, however, mono hulls will be allowed this year.
The rules are as follows:
Catamarans
Min weight:
11,500 pounds with no tunnel tab
12,000 pounds with a tunnel tab
Min Length: 37’ Max Length: 47’
New constructed race boat must be min 40’ and max 47’
Mono Hulls
Min weight:
10,000 pounds
Min Length: 40’ Max Length: 50’
The organisers have commented on the power for Class One International:
The rules were originally defined as a single engine series based around the new Mercury Racing 1100 competition engine.
3 teams have currently purchased these engines.
To allow more time for teams to transition to these engines/teams with other engines – it was agreed that boats that fit the general class rules (weight/width/lengths) would be allowed to enter if they were to detune their engines to 1100.
For example Zabo Racing will be running a Mercury Racing engine but not the new 1100 competition class engine.
The teams with the new Mercury Racing 1100 competition engines will be defined as ‘factory’ teams and the teams with any other engine will be defined as ‘privateer’ teams.
These initial Rules are designed to create and maintain a competitive class. If after the rough water race in Cocoa Beach, the flat water race in Lake Ozarks, and the Sarasota race – there exists an uncompetitive playing field the rules will be revisited.
For the first time, V-bottoms are allowed to enter the Class 1 circuit. V-bottoms are permitted to have 1350 HP engines.
Class One International – Cocoa Beach entrants
Miss GEICO
James Sheppard / Steve Curtis
222 Offshore
Darren Nicholson / Giovanni Carpitella
Lucas Oil
Jay Johnson / Nigel Hook
Victory Team
Salem Al Adidi / Eisa Al Ali
Zaborowski Offshore Racing
Ugur Isik / Miles Jennings
