The third and fourth round of the UIM World Championship Malta Grand Prix of the Sea will be held between today and tomorrow, after yesterday’s powerpole event in Marsamxetto Harbour which saw the boats roaring through the harbour.

Today there is the Sprint race, nine laps for the SuperSport boats and 10 for the Evolution class.

The Endurance race which will be held tomorrow will see the SuperSport run for 15 laps and the Evolution for 16 laps. Both races will be held outside Marsaxetto Harbour.

Although both classes race together competition remains within the classes.

The Race Village and Dry Pits have been moved to Sliema Ferries this time round.

Today’s official testing starts at 2pm and will continue till 3.30pm. The sprint race will be held between 5pm and 6pm to be followed by the presentations on the podium between 7pm and 7.30pm.

Tomorrow, the official practice is between 9.30am and 11am. Official testing will be held between 2pm and 3.30pm with the endurance race starting at 5pm.

Like today, the podium presentations will be held between 7pm and 7.30pm.

Despite being held concurrently with some World Cup matches, hundreds of spectators are expected to line up at Marsaxetto Harbour and the Sliema shoreline to view the powerboats in action.

UIM chief Van Lacker said: “Aaron Ciantar’s success has generated a lot of interest among the locals and I’m sure that the Maltese people will turn out in large numbers this weekend to support their world champion.”

Ciantar’s Ukrainian Spirit have had an unsuccessful start to their debut season in the Evolution Class after engine problems forced them to pull out of both races in Yalta.

The next event in the 2010 championship will be held in Sardinia between 9 and 11 July.

It is possible that a second weekend of powerboat racing in Malta will be held here later this year.