Balgarianovinite.com Eleven pilots will compete in the final round of the F500 “royal class” of the World Powerboat Championship on the Danube near Ruse. Bulgaria is hosting the competition for the first time. The competitors held their practice sessions around noon on Saturday.
“In the royal class, the boats, or hydroplanes as they are also known, are powered by two-stroke 500cc engines that are highly tuned and produce very high torque. They run on methanol to provide greater explosiveness and a higher combustion point. They can reach speeds of up to 180 km/h, with the boat actually skimming across the surface of the water and essentially riding only on its propeller. It is extremely important for the pilot to have the skill not to cross the fine line between taking off and maintaining contact with the water. This is the fastest class, known as the Formula of the Water,” Todor Hristov, President of the Bulgarian Federation of Powerboating, told BTA.
He explained that the race would be very exciting for everyone because it is the final round of the championship.
“The world champion and the runners-up will effectively be decided in Ruse. The differences among the top three are small, and each of them has a realistic chance of winning the title,” Hristov added.
Among the pilots is Poland’s Marcin Zielinski, a three-time F500 world champion who currently leads the standings and is competing for his fourth world title. According to him, the conditions in Ruse are very good.
The Danube city is also hosting the European Powerboat Championship for juniors in the GT15 class. Nine competitors under the age of 16 will take part in the competition. The boats can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h in the junior class. Among the Bulgarian competitors is Petar Stoyanov, who has considerable international experience and is one of Bulgaria’s leading young pilots.
Todor Hristov explained that organizing such a competition is very challenging, while the low water level of the Danube does not hinder the races.
“The low water level of the Danube actually helps us because the current is slower—fewer logs and pieces of debris are moving downstream, which can be a problem for the boats. There are also no ships that we need to take into account. There is enough water for us. The boats require a minimum depth of two meters. In this case, we have five to six meters,” Hristov added.
Saturday’s programme also includes qualifying sessions and racing heats. The finals in both classes will take place on Sunday, followed by the official awards ceremony in the evening.
The race centre for both championships is located along the riverside promenade, providing spectators with a good view of the course and convenient viewing conditions.
The two competitions are organized by the Bulgarian Federation of Powerboating, the Ryahovo Powerboating Club, and the Municipality of Ruse, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The championships are part of the official sports calendar of the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM).
Ruse Hosts F500 World Powerboat Championship Final Round 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-08-22 12:55:07
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БЪЛГАРИЯ НОВИНИТЕ – ИНФОРМАЦИОННА АГЕНЦИЯ 2009-2026 2026-08-22 12:55:07