Premier Shipping & Packing Ltd. is proud to be the official sponsor of the UIM P750 Thundercat World Championships 2007.
Thundercats are small inflatable boats capable of reaching high speeds and race on the shore line, making it a great spectator sport.
This is the first World Championship to be held in the northern hemisphere and promises to be the largest attendance ever with competitors from the UK, Namibia, Poland, Sweden, Spain, France, Malta, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.
PSP has been working with Thundercats UK as their official freight forwarder for their summer tour and continues to show support by sponsoring the UIM P750 World Championships.As an official sponsor for this event, PSP is providing return transportation for both the New Zealand and South African team.
Thundercat Racing - What's it all about?
The boats are mostly manufactured in South Africa which is where the sport originated. The RIB’s were developed from the mono-hull surf rescue crafts that were designed to use in diverse sea conditions.
Racing proved quite treacherous in these boats and turns were very unstable. The boat design therefore underwent a dramatic evolution and as a result the boats are now fully inflatable, catamaran, tunnel hull designs.
These models are fully capable of racing on rivers or in extreme surf often found on the coasts of South Africa. So since then the sport has streamlined and the rules are of an international standard. Worldwide recognition within the powerboat racing circuit has been achieved and the sport is attracting more and more interest and participants.
Thundercat Racing is based on a 400m x 200m ‘M’ circuit that has five turn buoys including a chicane. This intense, close action racing results in an adrenaline fuelled sport which is exciting and thrilling for both the competitors and spectators alike.
The RIB’s are less than 4 metres long and 100kg specifically designed for high speed racing and can plane quickly across the water allowing the hull to ride on a cushion of air bubbles. This reduces the wetted surface and lubricates the contact between vessel and water. The crew consists of one driver who steers the boat and a co-pilot who uses their weight to stabilise the boat and achieve maximum speeds.
