Stromoy joins the World Class 1 ranks

Norway’s Marit Strømøy will become the first woman to race in the Class 1 World Powerboat Championship for over a decade when she makes her debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro, 26-28 March.

Welmax Offshore Racing has confirmed that the team will run a two-boat entry in their bid for title honours in 2010, with Strømøy joining her fellow Norwegians Jorn Tandberg and Kolbjorn Selmer and the second newcomer to the team, Italian, Giorgio Manuzzi.

Born in Sandefjord, Norway and now living in Oslo, thirty-three-year-old Strømøy made her racing debut in 1989 at the age of twelve.  In 1993 she started racing in S-550, winning the European Championship three times (1996, 1998, 1999) and the Nordic Championship twice (1996, 1999).  In 2000 she moved up to race in F-2000, and was voted ‘rookie of the year’, finishing second in the UAE Presidents Cup in 2002, second in the Nordic Championship in 2005 and third in the European Championship in 2007. She became the first woman to compete in the F1 World Powerboat Championship in 2007, taking third overall in the Team Cup in 2009.  She has also competed in the legendary Rouen 24-hour race, finishing on the podium three times (second in 2009 and third in 2006/7).