Dubai: Raimondo di San Germano, H2O Racing’s Aquabike Director has reaffirmed the organising body’s commitment to a better defined racing calendar for the 2021 season.
The younger son of H2O Racing promoter Nicolo, Raimondo has been also serving as General Manager of Aquabike Promotion (ABP).
Launched in January 2011 by the senior San Germano, H2O Racing has come a long way in promoting, organising and uniting top-notch powerboat racing and aquabiking with events around the world under the umbrella of world governing body, the UIM.
The first round of the 2020 UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship was held back in February, after which the second round of the championship in Kuwait could not be organised due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, earlier this summer the promoters did go ahead and organised two rounds of the 2020 UIM-ABP Aquabike European Continental Championship in Nyiregyhaza-Levelek, Hungary (August 28-30) and Elk, Poland (September 4-6).
But, with the threat of the pandemic increasing organisers have now opted to cancel all further activity on the 2020 watersports calendar and turning their attention to a safe and secure season next year.
“I am glad that despite this difficult situation, we did not lose our positive mindset. Our riders have always been full of energy and ready to start all over. We also received positive feedbacks from local organisers and we are already planning the next season with the addition of new exciting venues,” Di San Germano told Gulf News.
“Of course, many things will change and we will have to get used to a new way of working as well along with a new way of relating with people. But, I am sure that the enthusiasm for this sport and our drivers’ passion for their job will soon make these new habits natural.”
During the break, the UIM, the world governing body for watersport, urged all bodies involved with the sport to put in place an ‘Anti-Contagion Protocol’ that would be amended as per the discretion of local organising bodies. In addition, it has also been mooted to have ‘sanitisation gates’ at the entrance of the paddock area to further enhance safety of the athletes and crew.
“It will be crucial, from our side, to adopt all the measures from our Anti-Contagion Protocol for the ground staff to guarantee the safety of all people involved,” Di San Germano added.
“The strength of our sport, be it the F1 racing or the Aquabikes, is that both don’t involve physical contact between athletes and other persons around at the venue. The events are held in open areas and these can also take place either without the public or with limited attendance while respecting social distances. The only area of uncertainty at the moment is the possibility to travel between different countries around the world.”
