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 not participated due to ownership and legal issues, and the Belle of Cincinnati has taken its place in the competition. In 2012, the Belle of Louisville and Belle of Cincinnati were joined in the race by the American Queen.
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.
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 . 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 Queens stead. In 2009, the event organizers changed the format prompting the Belle of Cincinnatis 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. Because the Cincinnati is a diesel ship with more power, it is required to travel further to Harrods Creek. 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.
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 Queens last race in 2008, the Louisville won 22 races compared to the Queens 20 wins. The Louisville'''s winning record compared to the Queens larger size and more powerful engines has helped fuel the unproven speculation that the race is predetermined.Kentucky Curiosities, by Vince Staten, pg 8.
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 Louisvilles 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
Year Winner Notes 1963 Delta Queen 1964 Belle of Louisville 1965 Delta Queen 1966 Delta Queen 1967 N/A High water led to race cancellation. 1968 Delta Queen 1969 Belle of Louisville 1970 Belle of Louisville 1971 Belle of Louisville 1972 Belle of Louisville 1973 Delta Queen 1974 Delta Queen 1975 Belle of Louisville 1976 Julia Belle Swain 1977 Delta Queen 1978 Delta Queen 1979 Belle of Louisville 1980 Belle of Louisville 1981 Belle of Louisville 1982 Natchez-New Orleans Three-boat race 1983 Belle of Louisville 1984 Delta Queen Belle of Louisville received a bomb threat and had to pull into Cox's Park, evacuating 613 passengers."Bomb Threat Scuttles Derby Steamboat Race", Lexington Herald-Leader, May 3, 1984, B1 1985 Delta Queen 1986 Delta Queen 1987 Belle of Louisville 1988 Belle of Louisville 1989 Delta Queen 1990 Delta Queen 1991 Belle of Louisville 1992 Delta Queen 1993 Belle of Louisville 1994 Delta Queen 1995 Belle of Louisville 1996 Belle of Louisville Race shortened due to high water levels on the Ohio. 1997 Delta Queen 1998 Belle of Louisville 1999 Spirit of Jefferson 2000 Belle of Louisville 2001 Delta Queen 2002 Belle of Louisville Belle of Cincinnati "initially won", but was disqualified when "it was found out" that it was diesel powered, and thus not a steamboat. 2003 Delta Queen three boat race 2004 Belle of Louisville 2005 Belle of Louisville Delta Queen was unable to come to Louisville due to high water levels on the Ohio. 2006 Delta Queen 2007 Belle of Louisville The 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. 2008 Delta Queen The 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. 2009 Belle of Louisville Belle of Cincinnati replaced Delta Queen, which has been retired. 2010 Belle of Cincinnati Score: 60 – 992011 Belle of Louisville High 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. 2012 Belle of Louisville Three boat race including the American Queen 2013 Belle of Cincinnati 2014 Belle of Louisville 2015 Belle of Louisville 2016 Belle of Cincinnati 2017 Belle of Cincinnati 2018 American Duchess Three-way race including the American Duchess 2019 Belle of Louisville 2021 Belle of Louisville Three way race including the American Duchess 2022 Belle of Louisville Three-way race including the Belle of Cincinnati and newcomer American Countess 2023 Belle of Louisville Three-way race including the Belle of Cincinnati and American Countess 2024 Belle of Cincinnati 2025 Mary M. Miller 2026 Belle of Louisville Belle of Cincinnati crossed the finish line first, but judges declared the Belle of Louisville the winner because it traveled further upriver.
See also List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area Thunder Over Louisville
References
External links
May 2, 2007 WHAS11 article (2007 results as well as details of judges decision) Official History (September 27, 2007 archive) Directory of steamboats/riverboats in the U.S. and Europe
Competing steamboats American Queen (archive) Belle of Louisville Belle of Cincinnati Delta Queen Natchez IX