Great Steamboat Race

The Great Steamboat Race is an annual steamboat race, taking place the Wednesday before the first Saturday of May, three days before the Kentucky Derby, as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival. The race was first run in 1963 and it takes place on the Ohio River in the span that runs between Louisville, Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana. Until 2009, the race was traditionally between the Belle of Louisville and the Delta Queen, although other steamboats have participated. Since 2009, the Delta Queen has been retired and the Belle of Cincinnati has taken its place in the competition.[1] In 2012, the Belle of Louisville and Belle of Cincinnati were joined in the race by the American Queen.[2]

The 2007 Race, as seen from Duffy's Landing in Jeffersonville, Indiana

Format

The race is scheduled annually as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival. The event pits at least two riverboats against each other in the span of the Ohio River that runs between Louisville, Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana. Spectators can watch the event from the shore or aboard a competing vessel.[3][4]

Traditional

The race began underneath the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge, which served as the start/finish line. Both steamboats raced to Six Mile Island, where they turned around to return to the bridge. The distance is 14 miles, with boats averaging a speed of 7 miles per hour (11 km/h). The competitors were traditionally the Belle of Louisville and the Delta Queen, although other additional or substitutionary vessels occasionally competed. The annual winner received the Golden Antlers, which would remain with the winner until the next race.

Modern

2008 was the last year to feature the Delta Queen as a competitor prior to it being renovated into a dry-dock hotel; the Belle of Cincinnati has subsequently entered the races in the Queen's stead. In 2009, the event organizers changed the format prompting the Belle of Cincinnati's Capt. Kerry Snowden to note that "[t]here are no rules in riverboat racing, so whatever goes, goes". The new format features a series of tasks that the crews must perform for points prior to the race.[1][5] Because the Cincinnati is a diesel ship with more power, it is required to travel further to Harrods Creek.[6] The boat with the most points after the race is determined to be the winner and is presented with the Silver Antlers, which take the place of the Golden Antlers that were retired when the Queen stopped competing.[5]

The American Queen is one of only five major riverboats in the United States that are powered by steam.

The 2012 race featured, for the first time since 2008, once again two steam-powered boats as competitors, as well as the diesel-powered Belle of Cincinnati. The American Queen, returned to overnight steamboat service in April 2012, competed in the three-way race on May 2, 2012 and finished as second.

History

The first Great Steamboat Race was held in 1963 between the Belle of Louisville and the Delta Queen, establishing the traditional rivalry until 2008 when the Queen was retired. The Queen won the first race. As of the Delta Queen's last race in 2008, the Louisville won 22 races compared to the Queen's 20 wins. The Louisville's winning record compared to the Queen's larger size and more powerful engines has helped fuel the unproven speculation that the race is predetermined.[7]

Other competitors

Several other riverboats have participated in the race:

  • Julia Belle Swain competed in 1975 and 1976, the latter of which it won.
  • Natchez IX of the New Orleans Steamboat Company in 1982, which it won.
  • Spirit of Jefferson raced in 1999 in the Louisville's stead while the Louisville was recovering from sabotage. It is diesel-powered and has been used as an observation boat for the race.
  • Belle of Cincinnati was a contestant in 2002, and followed as an observation boat in latter years. Since 2009, it has replaced the Delta Queen as the annual competitor. It is diesel-powered and has also been used as an observation boat for the race.
  • American Queen competed for the first time in 2012, in a 3-way race with the Louisville and Cincinnati, finishing 2nd.
  • American Duchess competed for the first time in 2018, in a 3-way race with the Cincinnati and Louisville, finishing 1st.

Popular viewing areas for the race are the old Water Tower in Louisville, and along Utica Pike in Jeffersonville, especially near Duffy's Landing.

Results
Competitors start to arrive at the start point of the 2007 Race
Spectators of the 2007 Race at Duffy's Landing in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
The Belle of Cincinnati follows the competitors in 2007
The Delta Queen at the start of the 2008 race.
YearWinnerNotes
1963Delta Queen
1964Belle of Louisville
1965Delta Queen
1966Delta Queen
1967N/AHigh water led to race cancellation.
1968Delta Queen
1969Belle of Louisville
1970Belle of Louisville
1971Belle of Louisville
1972Belle of Louisville
1973Delta Queen
1974Delta Queen
1975Belle of Louisville
1976Julia Belle Swain
1977Delta Queen
1978Delta Queen
1979Belle of Louisville
1980Belle of Louisville
1981Belle of Louisville
1982Natchez-New OrleansThree-boat race
1983Belle of Louisville
1984Delta QueenBelle of Louisville received a bomb threat and had to pull into Cox's Park, evacuating 613 passengers.[8]
1985Delta Queen
1986Delta Queen
1987Belle of Louisville
1988Belle of Louisville
1989Delta Queen
1990Delta Queen
1991Belle of Louisville
1992Delta Queen
1993Belle of Louisville
1994Delta Queen
1995Belle of Louisville
1996Belle of LouisvilleRace shortened due to high water levels on the Ohio.[9]
1997Delta Queen
1998Belle of Louisville
1999Spirit of Jefferson
2000Belle of Louisville
2001Delta Queen
2002Belle of LouisvilleBelle of Cincinnati "initially won", but was disqualified when "it was found out" that it was diesel powered, and thus not a steamboat.
2003Delta Queenthree boat race
2004Belle of Louisville
2005Belle of LouisvilleDelta Queen was unable to come to Louisville due to high water levels on the Ohio.[10]
2006Delta Queen
2007Belle of LouisvilleThe Delta Queen arrived at the finish line ahead of the Belle by 1.5 boatlengths, but because the Queen turned before it got to its turnaround buoy, the Belle was given the victory.[11]
2008Delta QueenThe Belle of Louisville arrived at the finish line ahead of the Delta Queen, but because the Belle turned before it got to its turnaround buoy, the Queen was given the victory. 3 Boat Race.[12]
2009Belle of LouisvilleBelle of Cincinnati replaced Delta Queen, which has been retired.[1]
2010Belle of Cincinnati[6][13]Score: 60 - 99
2011Belle of LouisvilleHigh waters on the Ohio River forced the race to be postponed to June 29, 2011. The Belle of Cincinnati was renamed The Belle of Kentucky, and, accordingly, she flew a Kentucky Wildcats banner covering "Belle of Cincinnati", adding a UofL/UK rivalry flavor to the race (seeing as the owners of The Belle of Cincinnati are UK fans) as a means to increase interest in the event being held outside the traditional time of year, The Kentucky Derby Festival.
2012Belle of Louisville[14]three boat race including the American Queen
2013Belle of Cincinnati[15]
2014Belle of Louisville

[16]

2015Belle of Louisville
2016Belle of Cincinnati
2017Belle of Cincinnati
2018American DuchessThree way race including the American Duchess
2019Belle of Louisville

See also

References
  1. Lampert, Hailee. "Great Steamboat Race Tonight - Sports News Story - WLKY Louisville". Wlky.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  2. "Rules, scoring announced for Great Steamboat Race". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2012-05-01.
  3. "Kentucky Derby Festival". Kdf.org. 2010-04-28. Archived from the original on 2010-09-24. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  4. "Great Steamboat Race details released - WAVE 3 - Louisville, KY". WAVE 3. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  5. "Great Steamboat Race details announced - FOX41.com Louisville News Kentucky Indiana News Weather Sports". Fox41.com. 2010-04-12. Archived from the original on 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  6. "Belle of Cincinnati prevails in Great Steamboat Race | courier-journal.com". The Courier-Journal. 2010-04-28. Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  7. Kentucky Curiosities, by Vince Staten, pg 8.
  8. "Bomb Threat Scuttles Derby Steamboat Race", Lexington Herald-Leader, May 3, 1984 B1
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2008-01-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "Belle Of Louisville Wins Great Steamboat Race". WLKY Louisville. May 5, 2005. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  11. "Derby Fun Blog 2007". Courier-journal.com. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  12. "Delta Queen Wins Great Steamboat Race". WLKY Louisville. April 30, 2008. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  13. "Belle of Cincinnati wins Great Steamboat Race - FOX41.com Louisville News Kentucky Indiana News Weather Sports". Fox41.com. 2010-04-28. Archived from the original on 2012-07-31. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  14. "Belle of Louisville wins 50th anniversary Great Steamboat Race". 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  15. "Full steam ahead: Belle of Cincinnati wins Great Steamboat Race". bizjournals.com. 2013-05-01. Archived from the original on 2013-05-06. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  16. "Steamboat Race | KDF Discover". Discover.kdf.org. 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
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