Speed Junkies Are In For A Treat Next Month If They Can Find A Good Viewing Spot From Sliema Front
If you’ve got a need for speed, you’re going to want to park yourself on the Sliema front this June to witness some spectacular powerboat racing: one of the few world sports which the Maltese do best.
Between June 8th and 10th, several powerboat pilots will be showing off their skills at the Voomquest V2 International Powerboat Championship, a series of races that will take place just off the coast facing Surfside in Sliema. Seven boats will be competing, bringing together racers from six countries: France, Belgium, UK, Switzerland, Corsica, and of course, Malta.
The activities will kick off on Friday 8th June with a world record attempt by the co-founder of Voomquest Aaron Ciantar, Malta’s very own five-time world champion. Ciantar’s family business is responsible for building the powerboats that will be racing on the weekend.
He will attempt to break a world speed record for going round Malta, which was originally set in 2004 at 42 minutes and 50 seconds, by former Italian tennis pro Adriano Panatta and his co-pilot Claudio Castellani. The original record and the fresh attempt next months have been ratified by the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique), the world governing body of powerboat racing. The attempt is sponsored by official fuels partner Enemed.
Five-time world champion Aaron Ciantar will be attempting to break the world speed record for going around Malta.
After Ciantar’s world record attempt, the participants of Voomquest will begin testing their boats and racing for pole position. Three races will then be held between Saturday (11am and 3.30pm) and Sunday (3.30pm).
The racing boats will be docked in Bormla Dock 1 throughout the same weekend, allowing visitors to admire them from closer.
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