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| Cowes Powerboat Festival (30 Aug 2026) |
|---|
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About
The GoGps Cowes-Torquay-Cowes powerboat race will be roaring into Torbay on Sunday 30th August – the Bank Holiday weekend. The prestigious race, the most famous powerboat race in the world, is the highlight of the 3-day Isle of Wight based GoGPS Cowes International Powerboat Festival.
The race is organised by the British Powerboat Racing Club and has been running since 1961 - this year celebrating its 65th Anniversary. The CTC was the first powerboat race held outside of America and has a rich heritage, attracting competitors and teams from all over the world.
On Sunday morning of the 30th August, when the competitors cross the finish line for the first leg (around 10 am for the fastest boats), moor up for fuel and lunch, before taking the race start for the second leg. The boats are moored up in Torquay for approximately 3 hours.
For the second year in succession, the race will be sponsored by Florida-based GoGPS. The company specialise in GPS fleet tracking, vehicle telematics, and asset management solutions for the commercial sector.
The gruelling race covers a challenging 210-mile course along the south coast from Cowes to Torquay where the boats will take on fuel before assembling on the start line for the return leg to Cowes. The boats reach speeds in excess of 100mph and, conditions permitting, will take just over an hour to arrive in Torquay harbour.
Haldon Pier offers a great vantage point to view the boats as they race to the finish line. It is also the perfect location for a close-up look at the boats as they enter the harbour. Whilst moored up in the wet pits, from the harbour side spectators will have a good view of the multi-million-pound fleet being fettled by their crews in readiness for the return leg.
The race is scheduled to start from Cowes at 9am – the first boats will arrive across the finish line in Torquay from 10am.
Further information is available from the event web site www.cowestorquaycowes.com
An album of photo’s by Nigel M Cole Photography www.nigelmcolephotography.co.uk
of the 2025 event is available on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/riviera_guy/albums/72177720328596734/
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- Cowes - Torquay - Cowes
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