The snow-capped peaks flanking Issyk-Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan provided a stunning arena for the powerboat racing world’s heavyweights to flex their credentials on Friday. Jonas Andersson and Shaun Torrente, between them carrying seven world titles, carved up the opening practice sessions with the kind of precision that comes from decades at the sharp end of Formula 1 powerboat racing.
Andersson, a three-time champion, set the pace in the first session with a time of 49.942 seconds, edging Torrente by just over two-tenths of a second. The four-time world champion wasn’t about to accept second billing for long. “The circuit now is very small and short, so with this high altitude we need to get the best out of this package we have,” Andersson explained after the session. “But the first practice was good.” By the afternoon, Torrente had found his rhythm and flipped the script, posting 48.946 seconds to pip Andersson by 0.251 seconds.
Current championship leader Stefan Arand slotted in third during the morning run, suggesting the contest for this inaugural Grand Prix would be close. Torrente’s turnaround in the second session is particularly telling. His team managed a full rebuild after a crash during the opening practice, then executed set-up changes that transformed how the boat handled the high-altitude conditions. “The guys did a really good job getting the boat back together after I crashed it,” Torrente said. “We made some set-up changes for Free Practice 2 and honestly the boat was great.”
The morning itself had offered a departure from the ordinary for drivers and teams. Before hitting the water, competitors experienced Kyrgyz culture firsthand, watching acrobatic horsemanship and live music against the dramatic mountain landscape. It’s the kind of prelude that can either settle a driver’s nerves or wind them up before serious business begins on the circuit.
Marit Stromoy’s progression through the day also caught the eye. After a tenth-place finish in the first session, she moved into contention during the afternoon, clocking 49.255 seconds to finish third. That kind of improvement across a single day often signals a driver who has unlocked something about the circuit or their boat’s setup, boding well for qualifying and the main event.
The high altitude and compact layout of the Issyk-Kul course appear to demand precision over raw speed. Two former world champions trading fastest times by fractions of a second underscores just how narrow the margins are at this level. With free practice wrapped and qualifying looming, the real sorting out was about to begin.
