More details have been supplied to Powerboat Racing World today about the Cork300 Power Boat Festival which will be held in Ireland this summer as a part of the Royal Cork Yacht Club’s 300th anniversary celebrations.
The Festival, a first for Ireland, will take place over the weekend 11-12 July and will see the Harmsworth Trophy competed for once again in Cork, the trophy was first awarded at an event hosted by the Royal Cork exactly 117 years ago on July 11th 1903.
The race from Cork to the Fastnet Lighthouse and back will be open to UIM Offshore Marathon craft who will also compete for the World Championships and a specially commissioned, ‘Nations Trophy’, this will be awarded to, ‘the boat whose nation has the overall best performance across all 4 classes of the race’.
Colin Morehead, Chair of Cork300 and Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club said:
I am delighted to see the return of powerboat racing to Cork Harbour after many years.
The Cork300 events series was developed to look back at ‘where it all began’ and celebrate the Club and Cork harbour’s 300 years of history.
We are proud to again host milestone historic events like the Harmsworth Trophy after so many years.
It is incredible to think that Cork hosted the first inter-nation powerboat race in the world.
The entries this year will be considerably faster than those which raced in 1903 but the atmosphere and excitement across the harbour will be no less incredible.
Sustainability is very important to the Royal Cork Yacht Club so we aim to honour the past, present and future of powerboating, and promote the use of alternative energy and classic boats.
The Flag Officers of the Royal Cork Yacht Club would like to invite Offshore Powerboat Racers from around the world to participate in our International Powerboat Festival, and help us to celebrate and honour those who came before us.
Without their efforts, we may not have the vibrant sport that we see today.
We sincerely hope that as in 1903, this event will be the start of a truly historic future for the Sport of Offshore Racing.
2020 UIM Offshore Marathon World Championship / Harmsworth Trophy
July 11
Race 1
From Cobh to Mizen Head , around the Fastnet Lighthouse and back to Cork Harbour.
136 NM
Race 2
From Cork Harbour heading east to Capel Island and back to Cork Harbour.
65 NM
(Total Distance 201 Nautical Miles)
July 12
UIM Long Distance Cork-Fastnet-Cork World record / All-Black FPT Challenge Trophy
Current record – 2 Hours 6 Minutes and 47 seconds, (total distance of 115.2 NM).
The Powerboat Festival will be run in association with the Union International Motonautique (UIM), the Powerboat Association of Northern Ireland, the Irish Powerboat Association, and the Trustees of the British International Harmsworth Trophy.
More details >> https://www.powerboatni.org/
