Press release -
Powerboat championships gear up for return to Greenock
Powerboat P1 Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea at Greenock is amongst 12 events taking place across the country this season which all received a share of £140,000 in the latest round of EventScotland’s National Funding Programme.
Taking place on 24 - 25 June, the marine motorsport event was awarded £13,000 which is being used for additional marketing activity to attract more visitors from outwith the local area. Last year’s event also received support through the National Funding Programme.
Powerboat P1 Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea is an international high-profile event that was held in Scotland for the first time in 2016 when it was hosted jointly by Inverclyde Council and Riverside Inverclyde at Greenock’s Esplanade. Last summer’s event attracted an estimated 30,000 spectators and 62 participants.
Powerboat P1 is the world’s leading marine motorsport promoter, staging more than 200 events in 17 countries across the world since 2003.
The 2017 Powerboat P1 Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea will include powerboat and jet-ski races at national championship level, as well as a range of on-water demonstrations to keep spectators entertained throughout the weekend. On shore there will also be a wide range of Scottish food and drink on offer, events showcasing Scotland's maritime history and heritage, various entertainments for children and the Inverclyde Showcase - which will provide local tourism-related businesses with a promotional and trading opportunity.
Annique Armstrong, VisitScotland Regional Director, said: “As an important national marine sports championship, last year’s Powerboat P1 Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea was a fantastic addition to Inverclyde’s events calendar and a real opportunity to showcase the region.I’m therefore delighted it is returning to Greenock later this month and that it’s one of the dozen events across the country which were selected as recipients of support from The National Funding Programme. I’m sure this year’s event will be an even bigger success and I hope as many visitors as possible will be able to come along to enjoy the entertainment planned.
“The National Funding Programme plays a vital role in maintaining our region’s reputation as a great destination for events which celebrate our culture and heritage whilst delivering economic benefits.”
Inverclyde Council Provost Martin Brennan said: "As co-hosts with Riverside Inverclyde, we were delighted to bring the event to Scotland for the first time last year and we’re very excited to be welcoming it back this month. Having such a high-profile powerboat event taking place at Greenock and Scotland’s Boat Show being held at Kip Marina are very important in enabling us to market Inverclyde across the UK as the marine leisure capital of Scotland.”
The National Funding Programme supports the strategic delivery of events taking place outside Edinburgh and Glasgow with the aim of driving domestic tourism, delivering economic impact for local communities and generating media profile for Scotland.
Enabling existing events to expand what they offer visitors, extend their marketing reach and enhance the on-site experience of attendees are just some of the ways that National Funding Programme support is used to help regional events continue to flourish and grow further. This in turn strengthens Scotland’s overall events portfolio – a major contributor to our national economy.
The National Funding Programme plays a vital role in maintaining Scotland’s reputation as the ‘perfect stage’ for events. The programme is key to ensuring that the country has an exciting, vibrant portfolio of annual events promoting Scotland’s cultural heritage and delivering positive for local communities.
In addition to Powerboat P1 Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea, the events which received support in the latest (Round 34) awards from EventScotland’s National Funding Programme are:
- Bonfest*, Kirriemuir, Angus28 - 30 April (£12,500)
- Dundee Design Festival 24 – 29 May (£20,000)
- Mhor Festival, Lochearnhead,Stirlingshire 26 - 28 May (£4,500)
- Oban Live*, Argyll & The Isles2 – 3 June (£10,700)
- Eden Festival, Raehills Meadows, Lockerbie, D & G** 8 – 11 June (£12,500)
- Ballantrae Festival of Food and Drink, Ayrshire 11 June (£5,000)
- Southern Fried 10 Year Anniversary, Perth 27 – 30 June (£8,000)
- ButeFest, Rothesay, Argyll & The Isles28 – 30 June (£7,000)
- World Gold Panning Championships*, Moffat D & G** 8 August (£10,500)
- Amazing Ages! *, Fort George, Inverness12 – 13 August (£25,000)
- East Lothian Battle Weekends: 2017 Pinkie Cleugh* 16 – 17 August (£12,000)
*Part of Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology 2017 partner event programme.
**D & G – Dumfries & Galloway
ENDS
For further information contact:
Ellen Drummond, VisitScotland Corporate Press Officer
T: 0141 566 4019; M: 07801 820757; E: ellen.drummond@visitscotland.com
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