P1 SuperStock powerboat racing 2017 calendar announced

P1 SuperStock UK Championship - the UK powerboat racing series - will be visiting four countries this summer - Denmark, Scotland, Wales and England

Grand Prix of the Sea P1 powerboat Cardiff

A taste of the action to expect. Credit: OnEvent

For the first time, P1 SuperStock UK teams will be racing in Scandinavia, as the championships head to Denmark this summer.

The 2017 racing calendar will kick off in the Danish city of Aaalborg in June before the fleet of P1 Panther race boats return to Scotland to entertain crowds on the River Clyde.

Pembrokeshire in Wales will get its first taste of P1 action in July when Milford Haven welcomes the race series.

The season finale in September will be the P1 Yorkshire Grand Prix of the Sea in Scarborough.

P1 chief operating officer, Robert Wicks, believes this “distinctive, high quality blend of existing and new venues” will bring in the crowds.

“First class facilities and great viewing for spectators are key factors is selecting our race locations,” he said.

“The opportunity to expand the series to take in a round in mainland Europe is a very positive step forward for the series. As is the case at our other host venues, P1 works to create events that attract visitors, boost the local economy and generate significant, positive publicity to raise the profile of the location,” added Wicks.

The opening round will take the P1 crews to Aalborg over the weekend of the city’s annual Regatta, a maritime festival both on the water and along the waterfront with attractions for all the family.

“Hosting a P1 event provides us with a wonderful opportunity to present Aaalborg as a cultural and vibrant event city, with the powerboat racing taking place in a beautiful setting” commented the city’s mayor, Thomas Kastrup-Larsen.

“We are proud to be the first P1 host city in Denmark and I’m sure the people of Aalborg will welcome an event of this calibre and turn out in strength to watch all the action,” he said.

Just a fortnight later, the P1 racing moves across the North Sea to Scotland when Greenock will again be aiming to attract thousands of spectators to the banks of the Clyde.

The area is undergoing a major period of regeneration and re-imaging.

It is hoped events such as the P1 Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea will boost the area’s tourism-related businesses, and demonstrate the region’s ability to host major events.

P1 SuperStock heads back to Wales for the fourth successive year in July, with the action moving from Cardiff to the Port of Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire.

The event will join a busy calendar of events at Milford Waterfront, a multi-million pound regeneration project aimed at revitalising the marina and docks.

The destination director at the Port of Milford Haven, Neil Jenkins, said: “Pembrokeshire is already known for hosting world class adrenalin-fuelled events, so the P1 race series is the perfect match for us.”

“When teams and spectators need to catch their breath, Milford Waterfront, with its great cafes, bars and restaurants which overlook the course, will be a perfect focal point for all the pre- and post-race activities,” he stressed.

The North Yorkshire coast will be the final P1 SuperStock destination at the beginning of September as Scarborough hosts a championship round for a third successive year.

With its historic harbour and castle headland, the town’s South Bay offers a natural amphitheatre for racing and for spectators.

“We are delighted that the popularity of P1 has grown year on year, and in 2017 we are looking to expand the visitor experience to showcase the best of the Yorkshire Coast,” commented the area tourism director for Welcome to Yorkshire, Janet Deacon.

More than 100,000 spectators will enjoy the P1 UK Championship this year and millions more will watch the action on Sky Sports and major sports networks around the world.

2017 Race Calendar

• 10–11 June Aalborg, Denmark : P1 Aalborg Grand Prix of the Sea
• 24–25 June Greenock, Scotland : P1 Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea
• 15–16 July Milford Haven, Wales : P1 Welsh Grand Prix of the Sea
• 2–3 September Scarborough, England : P1 Yorkshire Grand Prix of the Sea