SAUNDERSFOOT’S Sam Coleman helped his Team Brady to a strong second place finish at the inaugural race of the 2026 UIM E1 World Championships in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.

Heading into the electric powerboat season as back-to-back World Champions, Team Brady began the year with a target firmly on their backs but didn’t let the pressure get to them.

Set against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea, pilots Emma Kimiläinen and Sam Coleman delivered an impressive race weekend.

This season, E1 has adopted a new three-stage qualifying format, mirroring Formula 1 and culminating in a dramatic final round known as the Pole Shootout.

Sam and Emma claimed victory in the first-ever Pole Shootout, earning three valuable championship points and underlining the team’s intent from the very start.

Both pilots went on to finish second in their respective finals, securing second place overall for the team.

With a podium to open the campaign, Team Brady now turns its focus to the next round in Lake Como this April.

Coleman said: “I think we can be proud of what we’ve achieved this weekend. To bring home the first-ever Pole Shootout is something special.

“The racing today was really challenging, and all our competitors were strong. The finals were quite chaotic, so we did a great job in both races to get through the dirty water and fight our way back to second.

“Emma put in an incredible overtake on three boats on the first lap in the final corner, which set her up for a great result.

“I’m proud of the team and how we executed this weekend. There’s a lot we can learn and tidy up, but overall, we’re really happy with second place.

“It’s a strong start to a long season - there’s everything to play for.”