Cowes-Torquay-Cowes race is cancelled

Powerboat P1, the commercial rights holder to the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes race, has announced with sadness its decision to cancel the event as a result of insufficient entries.

The race organisers – the British Powerboat Racing Club, the Royal Yachting Association and Powerboat P1 - had hoped to resurrect the historic race this year after a three-year break in response to requests from British powerboat racers. However, the number of entries received has made the event economically unviable and would fail to deliver a genuine and competitive sporting spectacle.

"A race of this nature requires significant investment and at least 40 entries were needed to justify the six-figure event costs," said Powerboat P1 Chief Executive Jim O'Toole. "Despite extending the deadline for entries by one week, we have not reached this figure and the race will not go ahead on 23 August. This decision was not taken lightly and we know that the powerboat community will share in our disappointment, but will understand the reasons."

The first Cowes-Torquay-Cowes powerboat race took place in 1961 and it is regarded as one of British offshore racing’s most celebrated and demanding events. 

The Cowes-Torquay-Cowes race does not form part of the Powerboat P1 World Championship, which comprises 14 races on three continents.  The next round of the World Championship will be hosted by the historic port of Vigo on Spain’s Atlantic coast.