Yesterday PRW reported that the Portuguese Powerboat Federation has high hopes of running the first two rounds of the UIM F2 World Championship this season, today we spoke with Lithuanian organiser, Edgaras Riabko to see how his plans are progressing.

Last year Riabko secured the UIM F2 Silver Medal in competition and put together the season opener in Kaunus, this year he is confident of organising one round of the championship and even hopes to host two.

Edgaras Riabko is a multitasking organiser

Over the weekend of August 13-15, Riabko is aiming for a race in Zarasai, he told me this morning:

The race in Zarasai is almost confirmed, I am just waiting for the final meeting on March 5th.

I really appreciate the help from Zarasai mayor Nikolajus Gusevas who has put such a big effort in to make this race happen, and at the same weekend we will celebrate the 515th anniversary of the municipality being established.

The provisional UIM F2 calendar indicated that Lithuania would hold the season finale in Trakai a couple of weeks later than the Zarasai event, however, Riabko told me that the ‘second race is still in question’.

We want to host a second race, perhaps Kaunas in July or in Trakai the week after Zarasai.

But the Trakai date becomes complicated because there might be a F1H20 race in Poland. and of course some teams, drivers and mechanics want to race in both classes.

The way things stand at the moment Riabko feels there is more to do to firm up a second race in his home country, although what is for sure is that there will be a second competitor from Lithuania on the circuit this season, he explained:

Egidijus Dagilis is working so hard to make a good set up for his new boat.

His fellow countryman will be competing in a Molgaard hull, the boat that was last raced by Britain’s Paul Balfour in 2016.