Local drivers dominate XCAT Pole Position in Dubai 

Note to editors:

About the UIM XCAT World Powerboat Series: 

XCAT, short for extreme catamaran, is one of the most challenging and extreme forms of powerboat racing in the world with the largest international contingent and greatest number of teams competing at spectacular locations across the globe. 

The XCAT World Series has experienced phenomenal growth in the last two years and 2015 has seen ever further expansion with seven races set to take place in four different countries – including the exciting new venues of Australia and Portugal.

The XCAT World Series stands well apart from other offshore powerboat racing events thanks to its unrelenting desire to reinvent and enhance the sport, delivering a unique, all-encompassing experience for host cities, spectators and the teams involved.

UIM XCAT World Series Facts and Figures

• The boats can reach top speeds of around 200km/hour at their fastest

• They are constructed using advanced carbon fibre technology and have two engines

• Boats are inspected by an official from the UIM (the world governing body for powerboating) before the races to ensure they comply with stringent safety standards

• There are two people in the cockpit during the races – one is the driver and one the throttleman

• Communication between the two is vital – otherwise it could result in flipping the boat

• There is an escape hatch at the bottom of the boat so that if it does flip, the pilots are able to escape

• There are usually between 12 and 15 boats competing in each race which makes it very tricky for the boats travelling behind the front-runners as they have to deal with the spray and waves

• Each lap of an XCAT race course is 3.2 nautical miles with boats completing a minimum of 10 laps and a maximum of 16 in any given race

• The WPPA (organisers and promoters of the Series) have created and developed a unique containerised system in order to be able to transport the competing boats and other equipment in the most efficient manner. This new system, referred to as ‘Cat in a box’ enables the entire Series race set-up including hospitality facilities and a race village, as well as all the boats, to be transported globally within the confines of standard shipping containers

• Safety is a top priority for the WPPA and the XCAT safety crew are always on hand at each race providing top-notch safety and rescue services

• If an accident should occur during the races, they are on the scene as soon as possible to conduct the rescue and ensure all pilots are safe

• In order to do that, their full staff contingent consists of 24 helicopter rescue swimmers, 15 doctors, five helicopter pilots, and 10 boat drivers. The Company was born 18 years ago, and since then their competence has been proved many times across 4 continents and in 20 countries