Free practice today

A free practice session this afternoon heralds the start of the Malta Grand Prix - the opening race of the 2004 UIM Powerboat P1 World Championship.

Evolution and SuperSport category boats are expected to arrive this morning by Grimaldi Ferries and settle at the Dry Pit near the Valletta Waterfront, Pinto Wharf.

This area will be reserved for participating teams only but tomorrow and on Sunday, between 11.15 a.m. and noon, the public will be allowed to enter the Dry Pit to see the boats on exhibition.

After registration, pilots start roaring their powerful engines for testing and fine-tuning today at 3 p.m. as team technicians analyse the sea conditions to plan their race strategies ahead of the weekend competitions.

There will be a police-escorted Powerboat P1 Race Boat Parade, starting at around 5 p.m. today.

It will be taking a route through Valletta and along the coast to Bugibba and back again. This gives the public an opportunity to get a close-up view of a Powerboat P1 race boat and is usually a very popular event in its own right.

Official practice is reserved for tomorrow between 9 and 11 a.m. Boats will be racing the course on the east coast of the island between Sliema and St Paul's Bay.

The opening round of the Malta Grand Prix will be held in the afternoon with an endurance race - 90 miles long. A round-Malta race follows as teams bid to establish a new record for the distance.

After another practice session on Sunday morning, the teams face a Technical Rally Race, 66 miles in all, again on the east coast.

The combined scores from Saturday and Sunday are then taken into consideration to establish the first standings of the Evolution and SuperSport Class championships.

Grimaldi Ferries are also sponsoring the award for Best Overall Contribution with key criteria including overall sporting conduct, smartest team and boat and team attitude.

Presentation ceremony on Sunday is scheduled at around 4.30 p.m. Times could vary according to conditions at sea.