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Marit Strømøy is a Norwegian powerboat racer who made history as the first woman to earn a pole position and win a race in F1H2O World Championship history—proving that speed on water has nothing to do with gender.

EARLY YEARS

Born September 25, 1976, in Sandefjord, Norway, Marit grew up surrounded by the sound of engines and the smell of marine fuel. Her father, Leif Strømøy, ran a successful boat workshop in Sandefjord with his wife Kirsten, selling and repairing boats and engines. In 1989, when Marit was just 12 years old, she and her father traveled to Tvedestrand for a national race. Leif was competing as a racer, and Marit came along as a supporter. But watching from the sidelines wasn’t going to cut it. By the end of that trip, Marit made her racing debut in the inshore T-250 class (now GT15), and the rest, as they say, is history written in rooster tails and adrenaline.

Her mother wasn’t exactly thrilled about having her daughter tearing across the water at dangerous speeds, but Marit had the racing bug—and there was no stopping her. Meanwhile, her sister pursued her own dream of becoming a dancer, proving that the Strømøy household was all about following your passion, no matter how unconventional.

OTHER INTERESTS

When she’s not pushing a powerboat to its limits, Marit is equally at home behind a microphone. She learned to play piano as a child and began singing while playing, eventually landing her first gig as a piano player around age 16. By 20, she was performing in bands, blending her love of music with her competitive racing career in a way that would make most multitaskers weep with envy.

In 2005, she competed in Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix—the country’s Eurovision Song Contest qualifying competition—as part of the band Blissed with the song “You Are The One.” The group didn’t make the top four, finishing in joint fifth place. Undeterred, she returned solo in 2006 with “Too Much Love,” which was eliminated after heat two. More recently, she released the single “Last to Know,” continuing to juggle her dual passions for powerboat racing and music. She’s also appeared on Norwegian television shows including “4-stjerners middag” and “Beat for Beat,” because apparently, being a trailblazing racer wasn’t enough—she had to sing and cook on TV, too.

EARLY SUCCESS

Marit started racing in the S-550 class in 1993, and it didn’t take long for her to dominate. With her father Leif serving as her main mechanic, she won the European Championship three times—in 1996, 1998, and 1999. After her third European title, both father and daughter were hungry for more. In 1999, Marit raced her first race in F2, stepping up to a higher level of competition and setting her sights on the ultimate prize: F1H2O.

She made her F1H2O World Championship debut in 2007, entering a male-dominated arena where simply showing up was a statement. But Marit wasn’t there to make statements—she was there to win.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1996: Won the European Championship in S-550 class[1].
• 1998: Won the European Championship in S-550 class[2].
• 1999: Won the European Championship in S-550 class[3].
• 2011: Became the first woman in F1H2O history to earn a pole position at the Grand Prix of Portimão, Portugal, stunning the racing world with a fantastic flying lap[4].
• 2015: Became the first woman in F1H2O history to win a race, taking victory at the Grand Prix of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, defeating 17 men from 10 different nations[5].
• 2015: Finished fifth overall in the F1H2O World Championship—her best season to date[6].
• 2019: Finished third overall in the F1H2O World Championship, with her last podium finish coming in Xiamen[7].
• 2021: Secured a podium finish with third place at Figueira da Foz, Portugal[8].

INSPIRATIONS

Marit’s biggest inspiration was undoubtedly her father, Leif Strømøy. He introduced her to the world of powerboat racing, served as her mechanic through her European Championship victories, and helped shape Strømøy Racing into the biggest and oldest powerboat racing team in Norway. His sudden passing in 2009 was a devastating blow, but it also marked a turning point in her career and personal life.

After her father’s death, Marit met Andrea Colombo, an Italian technician who was working for Team Abu Dhabi at the time. The two connected over their shared love of racing, and Andrea eventually became both her husband and her partner in running Strømøy Racing. Together, they’ve continued Leif’s legacy, building boats and racing parts in the workshop in Sandefjord while competing at the highest level of the sport.

REPUTATION

Marit is widely regarded as a pioneer in powerboat racing, and not just because she’s often the only woman on the starting grid. She’s earned respect by being fast, fearless, and fiercely competitive. Her historic pole position in 2011 and race win in 2015 weren’t flukes—they were the result of years of dedication, skill, and an unshakable belief that she belonged on that racecourse.

Beyond her racing achievements, she’s also a sought-after motivational speaker, sharing her experiences as an expert in performance, resilience, and breaking barriers. She’s become a symbol of what’s possible when talent meets determination, and she’s inspired a generation of female racers to take on challenges that once seemed impossible.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

For 2025, Marit is continuing her work developing Mercury’s four-stroke V8 360 APX engine, pushing the boundaries of powerboat technology while chasing another podium finish. The new F1H2O season kicks off in May in Vietnam, and she’s aiming to add another piece of history to her already impressive resume. With Strømøy Racing still going strong and her competitive fire burning as bright as ever, don’t bet against her making more headlines on the water—and maybe dropping another single while she’s at it.

REFERENCES

[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Marit Stromoy – F1H2O UIM World Championship
Marit Strømøy Releases “Last to Know” Single – Powerboat News
Marit Strømøy – Wikipedia (Norwegian)
Strømøy Racing: Frontpage
Best job in the world: Marit Stromoy, powerboat racer – Square Mile
Strømøy Racing
[8] MARIT STRØMØY LOOKS TO TAKE THE FOUR-STROKE V8 ENGINE TO A 2025 PODIUM FINISH
Marit Stromoy – Motivational Performance Keynote
Marit Strømøy – Strømøy Racing
Melodi Grand Prix 2006: Marit Strømøy – “Too Much Love”
Aussie amputee, Norwegian singer making waves in powerboating elite – France 24
Marit Stromoy Becomes First Woman To Win In F1 H2o History!
marit stromoy’s pole shocks racing world in portimao! – F1H2O
Norway’s Strømøy Becomes First Woman to Win F1 H2O Race
2015 F1 Powerboat World Championship – Wikipedia
Melodi Grand Prix 2005: Blissed – “You Are The One”