The Powerboat P1 show takes to the seas again and the competition promises to be even more intense. The 2006 UIM world championship gets underway with the Malta event this weekend.

Reigning Evolution Class champions Wettpunkt, led by boat owner and throttleman Hannes Bohinc, are bracing themselves for a backlash from the Italian contingent left trailing in their wake last season.

And in the SuperSport category, British duo Drew Langdon and Jan Falkowski, with Buzzi Bullet, have unfinished business after losing out to Jolly Drive in the closing stages of the 2005 campaign.

In this category Malta has its own boat, Chaudron, which will be in the capable hands of brother and sister team Aaron and Audrien Ciantar.

Up to 18 boats will be taking part in this year’s championship, a far cry from the entry of six when Nathan Knight and KBL took over just three years ago.

Malta is now established as the season’s curtain-raiser. After Malta, the series moves on to Anzio, Travemunde, Gallipoli and Cowes before its final port of call, the new venue of Oeiras (Lisbon).

Addressing the press yesterday, Bohinc acknowledged that if he is to have a chance of retaining his title come the Portuguese double-header, his latest boat will have to give him a step up in performance.

“It’s going to be tougher than ever this year,’ the 46-year-old Austrian said. ‘All the other boats will be stronger and everybody will want to be world champion. We need the new boat to have a hope of winning again.”

Bohinc also has a new driver in countryman Maximillian Holzfeind, who takes over from Britain’s Miles Jennings because he is able to contribute to the team’s budget.

“It is very expensive to run these boats and Miles understands the situation,’ Bohinc said. ‘But in any case, Max is good and he has had no problem getting used to the boat.”

Holzfeind, 45, has competed in a variety of motor racing categories and now wants to justify his selection by Bohinc.

“I feel comfortable already because I bought one of Hannes’ earlier boats,’ Holzfeind said. ‘At this level the boats are stronger and faster, but with the experience and support of Hannes I feel very confident.”

“Having the new boat is very exciting. It has more technical features and will be even better than the present one. It looks beautiful.”

“I don’t feel any pressure personally because Hannes handles everything as the team owner and I feel very comfortable with the instructions he gives me.”

“As for the World Championship, we will have to see the performance of the new boat before we can say. But from the technical details we do know, it should be a winning boat.”

Of course, they will again be the team to beat this year.

In the Supersport class, the Maltese team is confident of improving over last year’s performance. The Ciantar family has built a new boat which is much more powerful than that which helped them finish third.

Said Aaron: “This year, we are confident of achieving more success. With this powerful boat we are aiming higher, although we are aware that even the others have made their own improvements. We have tested the boat and we came out with very satisfactory results.”

His sister Audrien also feels confident and more relaxed. “At least this year, I have company, because there is another lady navigator,” she said.

In fact, Jackie Hunt is pairing with her husband Mike Shelton to compete for the ARPRO Racing team in the SuperSport category. They are considered as possible title contenders in the highly competitive category.

For the past three championships, Audrien had been the only female ambassador on the circuit.

The event is growing in stature every year. One of the organisers, Edward Louy, said over 70 international journalists were expected in Malta to cover the event. “That is fantastic. We are hoping to have at least one more event in next year’s calendar. Whether or not it will be outside Europe, we do not know yet. Certainly it is not easy. First of all, it is very expensive and therefore that will have to be done with the cooperation of all the teams,” he said.

The teams

Evolution class: Speedbuster (Italy), Alpo (Italy), Thuraya (Italy), Wettpunkt.com (Austria), OSG Donzi (Italy), Trident Kiton (Italy), Flanders Offshore Racing (Belgium).

SuperSport class: Ocean Dragon Racing (China), Club Italia Offshore (Italy), Inrizzardi Racing (Italy), Flanders Offshore Racing (Belgium), OBA OBA Racing (Italy), Chaudron (Malta), Buzzi Bullet Offshore (Britain), Albatro Marine (Italy), ARPRO Racing (Britain).

World championship programme

13-14 May – Malta

3-4 June – Anzio, Italy

1-2 July – Travemunde, Germany

29-30 July – Gallipoli, Italy

26-27 July – Cowes, UK

16-17 September – Reserve Date

30 Sept-1 Oct – Oeiras, Portugal

Malta event programme

Today: 2pm-4.15pm: P1 Official testing 4.30pm-5.30pm: Malta Championship for Cyber 360 powerboats 6pm-8pm: Dry pits open to the public

Tomorrow :9.30am-11.30am P1 Official testing 12.00-1.45pm: Thundercats and Jet Skis 3pm-4.30pm: Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of Malta – Endurance race. 4.30pm-5pm Podium presentation

Sunday :9am-11.15am: P1 Official testing 11.30am-1.15pm: Thundercats and Jet Skis 2pm-3.15pm: Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of Malta – Rally 3.30pm-4.10pm: Podium presentation