Sri Lanka looks at promoting sports tourism with new powerboat weekend
The Lanka Powerboat Association (LPA) is reportedly planning on unveiling a unique, action packed powerboat weekend schedule for both Formula 2 (Super Cat) and P750/Thundercat powerboats in Bentota on November 11th and 12th.
The International Powerboat Championship is expected to become a bi-annual event with two classes of powerboat involved: F2 powerboats and P750 /Thundercat boats, a media release issued by the Lanka Powerboat Association has stated.
The championship had its successful inaugural event in February 2017, starting small with five P750/Thundercat boats.
The event has already increased in popularity and stature with eight P750/Thundercat boats and eight F2 boats entering the UIM endorsed championship scheduled in November.
The UIM is the international authority for powerboating and aqua bike/jet skis
According to the new release, by creating this prestigious event the LPA is able to showcase the sport and the country to a national and international audience and therefore contribute to the growth of the Sri Lankan tourism industry.
This two-day UIM calendar race, sponsored by the Sri Lanka Tourism Authority and the Sports Ministry, will see each class of powerboat racing six heats over both days concluding with a grand finale.
This is an international event with World Champion Powerboat drivers coming to Sri Lanka from UK, Hungary, Germany, Norway and Iceland to compete in this event.
At a meeting, earlier this week with the Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera and the Tourism Minister John Amaratunga, the LPA had launched its international race calendar for 2018.
Introducing to Sri Lanka for the first time the opening round of the Aquabike Bike World Championship and the closing round of the F2 World Championship, Grand Prix of Sri Lanka, the release has further stated.
OSL take:
Sports tourism is a new venture the being looked at to promote Sri Lanka as a destination. The powerboat weekend schedule for both Formula 2 (Super Cat) and P750/Thundercat powerboats in Bentota on November 11th and 12th could be considered a launching pad in organizing sports tourism activities. It would provide the opportunity for businesses to join with sports bodies to look at organizing sports events of international stature as a tourism promotions activity.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/31102017/Z_4 |