Monday, 11 February: Dammam, Saudi Arabia and Qingdao, China are the newest additions on a proposed eight race calendar for the 2019 UIM F1H2O World Powerboat Championship which was announced today by promoter and organiser H2O Racing.

The championship will launch its 36th season in Dammam on 28-30 March marking a return to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time since the series’ only previous visit in 2004 when Sunset Beach hosted the event.

Qingdao makes its series debut in October and will be the 12th city in the People’s Republic to host a round of the championship.

The European phase of the season will be played out on the Arade River in Portimao, Portugal and on Lac Leman in Evian, France in May and July before the UIM F1H2O tour heads to China and then returns to Amaravati in India in November.

The curtain will fall on the 2019 season in the United Arab Emirates in December when Sharjah hosts its 21st Grand Prix, with H2O Racing set to announce the venues for a round in September and an additional round in December in the coming weeks.

2019 UIM F1H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

28/30 March – Dammam, Saudi Arabia

17/19 May – Portimao, Portugal,

5/7 July – Evian, France

27/29 September – tba

11/13 October – Qingdao, China

15/17 November – Amaravati, India

5/7 December – tba

18/21 December – Sharjah, UAE