In a first for North India, Uttar Pradesh is set to organise an international motorboat racing competition for powerboats — the Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship — in February 2024. Officials with the UP Government said the move would not only be a major attraction for locals, but would also give a boost to tourism.
Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the body which organises the Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship, met Additional Chief Secretary, Sports and Youth Welfare Navneet Sehgal and has tabled the proposal to organise the powerboat competition in UP’s Varanasi.
“Today received a proposal to host F1H 20 world championship powerboat racing in Varanasi, earlier with the help of District administration, the Reece team had seen and liked the facilities there. This will be the first F1 boat race in north India,” Sehgal tweeted, after meeting the representative of UIM.
Sehgal said if hosted, this would be the biggest powerboat racing competition in North India and assured all possible support.
THE REQUIREMENTS
Officials with the UP Government said India last witnessed this sporting event in 2018, when the powerboat racing, also called F1H20 UIM World Championship, was held in Vijayawada and Amravati.
Officials further said at least 1,000-meter-long, 150-meter-wide and 2.5-meter-deep water basin is the basic requirement to organise the F1H20 UIM World Championship. Also, there must be ample vacant space, at least 2 acres, in order to set up a dry pit and other facilities. Varanasi was found to be best-suited on all criteria.
Today received a proposal to host F1H 20 world championship power boat racing in Varanasi, earlier with the help of District administration, the Reece team had seen and liked the facilities there. This will be first F1 boat race in north India @PMOIndia @UPGovt @UPGovtSports pic.twitter.com/RyhSlTnTHN— Navneet Sehgal (@navneetsehgal3) July 31, 2023
NEED FOR SPEED
F1H20 UIM World Championship officials said it is the highest class of inshore power boat racing in the world, and as such, with it sharing the title of F1, is similar to Formula One car racing, which lasts for approximately 45 minutes.
“F1 racing uses tunnel hull catamarans that are capable of both high speed and exceptional manoeuvrability. Overall, the boats weigh 860 pounds (390 kilogrammes), including 260 pounds (118 kilograms) of engine. The boats are 20 feet (6 metres) long and seven feet (2 metres) wide, keeping weight low through extensive use of carbon fiber and kevlar. The tunnel hull design creates aerodynamic lift due to a ‘wing’ formed by the deck and under surface of the hull. This increases lift and reduces drag, so that at speed only a few inches of the boat touch the water, leading to the high speed possible with these hulls,” officials said, while explaining the designs of the powerboats.
F1 boats are powered by a Mercury Marine V6 two stroke that burns 100LL Avgas at a rate of 120 liters (32 gallons) per hour, generating over 400 horsepower at 10,500 rpm. This engine can propel the boats to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than two seconds and to a maximum speed of over 250 km/h (155 mph), the officials further said.
BOOSTING CONNECTIVITY
Other than organising waterboat championship, the UP government also has plans to use eight rivers as inland waterways to improve the connectivity and to facilitate the goods transportation, especially bulk cargo such as foodgrain, fertilisers, etc. Yamuna, Gomti, Assi, Ghaghra, Rapti, Betwa, Chambal and Varuna are the rivers that will be used as waterways to ensure transportation of goods and people.
The move is said to be in line with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre’s Maritime India Vision 2030 that envisages increasing the share of inland water transport to 5% by 2030.
Comments
0 comment