In a surprise announcement today, the United Kingdom Offshore Powerboat Racing Association (UKOPRA) have announced that their event in Guernsey will go ahead.

The Channel Island has largely avoided the global health crisis with strict travel, border and quarantine measures and today the Guernsey Civil Contingencies Authority released its time frame for slowly removing those restrictions.

Guernsey has benefited from a fast vaccine roll-out programme and UKOPRA chairman, Kerry Bobin told me:

Following today’s news, UKOPRA are thrilled to confirm they will be racing in Guernsey this year.

The event was scheduled to take place over the weekend of 26th – 27th June, however Bobin explained:

In order to adhere with the relaxations, we have moved the event back to the weekend of 17th – 18th July.

Our Portishead race will now take place on the original Guernsey date.

This news from UKOPRA comes on top of confirmation of their Poole event at the end of May and also the sixtieth running of racing from Cowes in August.

The news is bound to please Offshore racers that have been frustrated by the impact that the health crisis has had across all sports.

UKOPRA 2021 Racing Calendar

29th – 30th May — Poole Bay 100

26th – 27th June — Portishead

17th – 18th July — Guernsey

28th – 29th August — Cowes

23th – 26th September – Yarmouth Speed Festival