F1 Powerboat on Lake Toba Gives Something Different for Racers
- Antara/Kemenpora
VIVA – The international event, F1 Powerboat will soon be held in Lake Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia. Minister of Youth and Sports, Zainudin Amali said that the Lake Toba atmosphere will give something different for the racers.
"I believe the racers will love the atmosphere at Lake Toba because it feels cool. In fact, they asked whether after the race we could add a stay because they are curious about this lake that looks natural, unlike in the UAE." Minister Zainudin Amali said in the discussion of Forum Merdeka Barat (FMB) 9 with the title "Adu Cepat di Danau Toba" on Monday.
discussion of FMB 9 with the title Adu Cepat di Danau Toba
- Press Release
The minister added that Lake Toba is ready to hold the event and this readiness has been assessed by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the sports federation in charge of the F1 Powerboat.
"This is the opening series of races. There is no problem with the venue because it is supervised by the federation. They want to help even though they know that the sport is not yet popular in Indonesia. This refers to the fact that there are no racers from Indonesia. Even the national federation is still assigned to the Indonesian Motor Association," Minister Amali explained.
First World Class Event at Lake Toba
On the same occasion, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said, F1 Powerboat was prioritized on Lake Toba because it is one of the super-priority destinations in Indonesia.
In addition to infrastructure preparation, his party also encourages the readiness of community resources in the tourism sector to provide good service to visitors including 2,500 foreign tourists who are expected to attend the race.
Adian Nalambok, Danau Toba, Sumatera Utara.
- VIVA/Sumiyati
Minister Sandiaga said that Lake Toba is a super-priority destination that has a beautiful panorama, as well as cultural diversity, but does not yet have a world-class event. According to him, this F1 Powerboat will become a world-class event so it will further increase the number of visitors to Lake Toba.
"The government has supported infrastructure development in Lake Toba starting from ports, airports, and toll roads. With this readiness, it is hoped that Lake Toba can be included in the top three tourist destinations in Indonesia, apart from Bali and Borobudur," he concluded.
Meanwhile, the public showed high enthusiasm for the presence of the F1 Powerboat on Lake Toba. This can be seen in the exhaustion of tickets for the "race venue" stands that are sold online.
Director of Marketing and Tourism Program of PT Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia or InJourney, Maya Watono said the tickets for the water sports event on the online platform immediately sold out in just 23 minutes.
With the high public interest, as the organizer, she is optimistic that the target of 25,000 spectators set by the Government can be achieved. In addition to ticket sales at the two venues, spectators can also watch the racing event from various cafes and restaurants scattered on the shores of Lake Toba.
Currently, InJourney is curating these spots with an estimated audience of over 5000 people. More could be added at other points along the lake. Therefore, it is estimated that in the two days of the race, February 25-26, the number of spectators could reach 25,000 people.
"We also create supporting events such as watching together, music, cultural performances, and collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy," Maya added.
