The HAPO Columbia Cup is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held each July on the Columbia River in Columbia Park, Tri-Cities, Washington. The race is the main attraction of the annual Water Follies festivities. With the exception of 2020, Tri-Cities has hosted a race consecutively since 1966.
History
The Columbia River towns of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland first climbed on the Unlimited bandwagon in 1966 with the first annual Tri-Cities Atomic Cup. There had been talk of inviting the Unlimiteds there as early as 1958. But 1966 was when it finally happened. Bill Brow was the winner that first year, driving Bernie Little's Miss Budweiser.
Driver Dave Villwock and the Miss Elam Plus team won the 2006 Columbia Cup under extraordinary circumstances. Their boat "blew over" during the running of preliminary Heat 2-A. They rebounded in time to win the next two heats and the overall championship.
After the race at Detroit, the home of the annual Gold Cup race, was originally cancelled in 2015, the Gold Cup was moved to the Tri-Cities race, renaming the race to the Gold Cup for that year. When the Detroit race came back at the end of 2015 and into 2016, the Gold Cup returned to the city, and the Tri-Cities race returned to the "Columbia Cup" again.
The race is run on a 2.5 mile oval course located in an area on the Columbia River referred to as the "McNary Pool.TCWF Media Guide "
List of Tri-Cities Unlimited Hydroplane Champions +Champions of Tri-Cities Unlimited Hydroplane EventsYearEventBoatDriver1966Atomic CupMiss BudweiserBill Brow1967Atomic CupMiss BardahlBilly Schumacher1968Atomic CupMiss Eagle ElectricWarner Gardner1969Atomic CupMYR’s SpecialDean Chenoweth1970Atomic CupPay ‘n Pak ‘Lil BuzzardTommy Fults1971Atomic CupMiss MadisonJim McCormick1972Atomic CupAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey1973APBA Gold CupMiss BudweiserDean Chenoweth1974U.I.M. World’s ChampionshipPay ‘n PakGeorge Henley1975APBA Gold CupPay ‘n PakGeorge Henley1976Columbia CupAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey1977APBA Gold CupAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey1978Columbia CupMiss BudweiserRon Snyder1979Columbia CupAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey1980Columbia CupAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey1981Columbia CupThe Squire ShopChip Hanauer1982Columbia CupThe Squire ShopTom D’Eath1983Columbia CupAmerican Speedy PrintingJack Schafer, Jr.1984APBA Gold CupAtlas Van LinesChip Hanauer1985Columbia CupMiller AmericanChip Hanauer1986Columbia CupMiller AmericanChip Hanauer1987Columbia CupMiss BudweiserJim Kropfeld1988Columbia CupMiss BudweiserTom D’Eath1989Columbia CupCooper’s ExpressMitch Evans1990Columbia CupMiss BudweiserTom D’Eath1991Columbia CupWinston EagleMark Tate1992Budweiser Columbia CupMiss BudweiserChip Hanauer1993Budweiser Columbia CupMiss BudweiserChip Hanauer1994Budweiser Columbia CupMiss BudweiserChip Hanauer1995Budweiser Columbia CupSmokin’ Joe’sMark Tate1996Budweiser Columbia CupPICO American DreamDave Villwock1997Budweiser Columbia CupPICO American DreamMark Evans1998Budweiser Columbia CupMiss BudweiserDave Villwock1999Budweiser Columbia CupMiss BudweiserDave Villwock2000Budweiser Columbia CupMiss E-Lam PlusMark Evans2001Budweiser Columbia CupZnetix IITerry Troxell2002Budweiser Columbia CupMiss E-Lam PlusNate Brown2003Budweiser Columbia CupLlumar Window FilmMark Evans2004Budweiser Columbia CupMiss BudweiserDave Villwock2005Budweiser Columbia CupEllstrom E-Lam PlusDave Villwock2006Atomic CupEllstrom E-Lam PlusDave Villwock2007Lamb Weston Columbia CupEllstrom E-Lam PlusDave Villwock2008Lamb Weston Columbia CupOh Boy! ObertoSteve David2009Lamb Weston Columbia CupOh Boy! ObertoSteve David2010Lamb Weston Columbia CupOh Boy! ObertoSteve David2011Lamb Weston Columbia CupSpirit of QatarDave Villwock2012Lamb Weston Columbia CupGraham TruckingJimmy Shane2013Lamb Weston Columbia CupOh Boy! ObertoSteve David2014HAPO Columbia CupObertoJimmy Shane2015HAPO APBA Gold CupObertoJimmy Shane2016HAPO Columbia CupMiss HomeStreetJimmy Shane2017HAPO Columbia CupGraham TruckingJ. Michael Kelly2018HAPO Columbia CupDelta RealtracAndrew Tate2019HAPO Columbia CupGraham TruckingJ. Michael Kelly2021HAPO Columbia CupPinnacle Peak ConsultingCorey Peabody2022HAPO Columbia CupMiss HomestreetJimmy Shane2023HAPO Columbia CupBeacon PlumbingCorey Peabody2024Apollo Columbia CupBeacon PlumbingCorey Peabody2025Apollo APBA Gold CupMiss ApolloDave Villwock
References
External links Columbia Cup website H1 Unlimited website