Qatar Cup Update: Live Streaming, TV and Five-Year Plan in Motion

Offshore powerboat racing fans who want to watch the upcoming Qatar Cup in real time won’t have to travel to Doha, the country’s capital city to do so, thanks to livestreaming and television coverage from the event. That’s the word from Steve Curtis, the Spirit of Qatar team’s United States spokesman, who currently is in Qatar for planning meetings for the early February event.

The livestream will be hosted on the Qatar Marine Sports Federation website.

“While I don’t have the final details, the Qatar Cup will be televised,” said Curtis in a telephone interview this morning. “The event will be streamed live online, and we’re even developing an app so people can watch it on their smart phones, get laps times and more information in real time.”

Curtis said this week’s meetings included representatives from the QMSF, the Union Internationale Motonautique (powerboat racing’s internationally recognized sanctioning body) and the newly formed Offshore Powerboat Grand Prix series. The organizations involved agreed to what Curtis called a “five-year molding program” commitment for the Qatar Cup.

“Jason Miller (OPGP’s general manager) and Sheikh Hassan (bin Jabor Al-Thani, president of the QMSF) are signing the contract tomorrow,” Curtis said.

Out of the 40 teams currently committed to participating in the Qatar Cup, 12 reportedly are coming from the United States. Using the logistical services of Qatar Cup affiliate GAC Pindar, the U.S.-based raceboats and equipment will be shipped on Dec. 8 out of Jacksonville, Fla. The names of the U.S. teams will be formally announced the day boats depart.

All teams will stay at the Doha Hilton, another Qatar Cup sponsor and the host hotel for the event.

“There will be an event for the race teams every night,” Curtis said. “A lot of the guys haven’t been here before. Attention to detail is how we will build this event. We want to make the racers feel special, because they are special. They are the talent.”

Related story: Qatar Cup On For February 2015

Photo courtesy/copyright Qatar Marine Sports Federation