Pilot Blog - Abla Lassoued

Versatile Tunisian woman racer Abla Lassoued is competing in Powerboat P1’s Evolution class for her home event – the Tunisian Grand Prix of the Sea in Hammamet. She told us about her excitement for the weekend ahead

Abla Lassoued will be competing with the #88 Kiton Outerlimits Evolution crew in Tunisia

I’m delighted to be racing in the Powerboat P1 championship this weekend – especially as it’s in the Evolution class in the navigator's seat of the #88 Kiton Outerlimits boat. Obviously, I’ve got plenty of experience racing powerboats, but it has always been a dream to race in the top class.

My family has always had a passion for speed – whether it’s boats or cars, we love absolutely anything that goes fast, and, even though I love all sports (I’ve been involved in running a women’s football club in Tunis), racing is definitely the biggest sporting passion in my life.

Much of my racing in recent years has been in rally raid events, racing 4x4 cars like the Mitsubishi Pajero that I ran in the 2007 Dakar Rally. But even though do a lot of these events – six Dakar rallies, six Tunisian rallies, three rallies in Portugal and six in Morocco – my preference is for boats.

Racing boats is much more enjoyable than racing in a car. It’s a lot harder work, but that means that it’s incredibly rewarding. And, because in a boat you’re exposed to the elements (whereas with a car you are enclosed and protected), you also have the water splashing over you and you feel at one with the sea. That allows you to enjoy the competition and the thrill so much more.

I’m very proud to be a Tunisian woman and to be representing my country. But, there are actually more Tunisian women racers than you might think. In rallying there’s just one German woman, and one French woman, but there are three Tunisian women.

It’s hard to know my expectations for the weekend, because there has been so little time to prepare, but obviously I’d like to finish on the podium in front of my home fans if I can.

Then there’s the long term. Because I’m so busy working on my tourism business, the women’s football club and my rallying, it’s very hard to fit in time for my other passions. I’d definitely like to do more Powerboat P1 events in 2009, especially if it’s in the Evolution class. We’ll just have to see how this weekend goes. Wish me luck!