After successfully organising events in Hong Kong last year and Macau in May, the Asia Powerboat Association (APA) are now turning their attention to Singapore.

The third in the series of Asia Powerboat Championships will be held over the weekend of December 5-8, and will be based at East Coast Park, where some 7 million locals and tourists flock to for the variety of sporting, entertainment and dining attractions.

The series was set-up by Martin Lai, a former Offshore Racer and a restaurateur from Britain’s West Country.

He then headed up the organising team that put on the inaugural event in Hong Kong last November which was won by Drew Langdon and saw Belgium’s Francis Notschaele take second overall and Chinese racer Bingchen Wu fill the third position.

Drew Langdon won the Hong Kong Asia Powerboat Championship event in November, 2018.
Photo: Lowell Mason

The format of the racing, (qualifying and 5 heats), was a hit with spectators and racers alike, and fairly shortly after the event ended, Lai worked with his team to put on a second championship.

In May, an eclectic bunch of racers headed to Fisherman’s Wharf, the largest leisure and themed entertainment complex in Macau.

Langdon sadly wasn’t one of them, he couldn’t defend his title due to an injury sustained in testing back in Britain.

Macau played host to the Asia Powerboat Championship last May Photo: Lowell Mason

11 racers experienced a totally unforgettable weekend, on and off the water, Andy Wilby won, narrowly beating fellow Brit Miles Jennings, while Estonia’s Erko Aabrhams took third.

The Macau Asia Powerboat Awards and Dinner Gala
Photo: Lowell Mason

Planning for Singapore is already well in place and the organisers have a few boats available to race in December, if you are interested in racing a Tohatsu powered John Guille designed single-seater production T750 Shakespeare hull contact Sarah Donohue who told us today:

The race course is close to land, tight and fast, making it highly competitive for the racer and a great spectacle for the crowd.

The event champion and runners up will receive a trophy, a medal and a prize.

All racers are invited to a welcome reception and an awards dinner.

If you fancy a crack at racing in Singapore, email sarah@sarahdonohue.com for the information pack and prices.

Timetable:

December 5th – Racers to arrive in Singapore / Welcome Reception
December 6th – Testing and Qualifying
December 7th – Race 1, Race 2 and Race 3
December 8th – Race 4, Race 5, Final and Awards Gala Dinner