On March 5, during the online conference of the Central Propaganda and Education Committee, Mr. Lam Hai Giang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Dinh Province, presented a specialized report regarding the Formula 1 powerboat race F1H2O Grand Prix and UIM-ABP Aquabike Grand Prix Binh Dinh 2024 (Binh Dinh Grand Prix 2024), set to take place from March 22 to 31 at Thi Nai Bay, Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province.
Mr. Lam Hai Giang revealed that the Binh Dinh Grand Prix 2024 is a premier international boat racing event, renowned for its intense competition and considered one of the most captivating water sports competitions worldwide. This will be the first time the race is held in Vietnam. In recent years, when hosted in Indonesia and China, the event attracted 30,000-40,000 athletes and fans, with 200 million views across online platforms.
According to Mr. Lam Hai Giang, the opportunity for Binh Dinh Province to host the Binh Dinh Grand Prix 2024 arose when the event organizers conducted surveys in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Nha Trang. Upon receiving this information, the provincial leadership boldly extended an invitation, expressing their desire to represent Vietnam to host the event.
On July 26, 2023, during a working visit by President Vo Van Thuong and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to Rome, Italy, the leaders of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee signed a memorandum of understanding with H2O Management Limited in Italy (a branch of H2O Management Limited - H20 Racing), bringing the major racing event to Vietnam.
President Vo Van Thuong witnessed the signing ceremony, acknowledged and highly appreciated the signing, recognizing its contribution to strengthening the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Italy.
The Binh Dinh Grand Prix 2024 will feature two main events: the UIM-ABP Aquabike Grand Prix Binh Dinh 2024 from March 22 to 24, with around 70 racers from 30 countries worldwide, and the UIM F1H2O Grand Prix from March 29 to 31, involving approximately nine teams from countries such as Vietnam, China, Saudi Arabia, France, Finland, and Turkey.
Binh Dinh has already partnered with a racing team in Sweden to establish the Binh Dinh - Vietnam Formula 1 Powerboat Racing Team, representing Vietnam in the UIM-ABP Aquabike Grand Prix.
Mr. Tran Van Thanh, Director of Binh Dinh Provincial Department of Tourism, anticipates that the event will breathe new life into Binh Dinh's tourism industry, expected to attract over 100,000 visitors. Additionally, the province will host the Amazing Binh Dinh Fest Week, the sacred fire procession at Tay Son Temple, a culinary festival featuring a "Buffet of 77 specialties from Binh Dinh", various sports events, traditional cultural festivals, investment promotion conferences, and meetings with international billionaires and athletes.
The professional powerboat racing championship, established in 1984, has been held in over 40 countries to date. Each race features 20 racers from 12 different countries, forming ten teams competing against each other.
With a motto of using sports to connect communities, enhance solidarity, and promote international cooperation, H2O Racing has expanded the promotion of these races to 169 countries (with television broadcast programs), reaching 105 countries. Each event attracts 500,000 spectators and generates over US$35 million in television advertising value. These races consistently attract over 1.4 million viewers and reach 160 million users across social media platforms.
