Alfredo Amato the new head of the Offshore Powerboat Teams Association (OPTA) has started to pave the way forward with the UIM for a stable UIM XCAT World Championship.

For 2019, 4 events consisting of 2 races each will be held in Italy, China (2) and Dubai.
OPTA has leased containers and equipment for the XCAT teams for a 3-year period and has found a permanent base in Fujairah for the boats to be stored between races.

7 boats competed in last weekend’s Fujairah Challenge Trophy and OPTA naturally hopes to recruit more teams for the 2019 championship and beyond.

As of now, the ‘Big Two’, from the UAE, will not be competing in the 2019 World Championship.

The Victory Team, based in Dubai left the series at the end of the 2017 season and last season’s World Champions, Abu Dhabi will not be defending their title this year.