HAPO Columbia Cup
Event information
TypeH1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race
Race areaColumbia River, Tri-Cities, Washington
DatesJuly 24–26
SponsorHAPO Community Credit Union
Distance2.5 mi (4 km)
Media coverageKNDU-TV
First race1966
Former namesAtomic Cup
Columbia Cup
Websitewww.waterfollies.com

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.[1]"

List of Tri-Cities Unlimited Hydroplane Champions

Champions of Tri-Cities Unlimited Hydroplane Events[2]
Year Event Boat Driver
1966 Atomic Cup Miss Budweiser Bill Brow
1967 Atomic Cup Miss Bardahl Billy Schumacher
1968 Atomic Cup Miss Eagle Electric Warner Gardner
1969 Atomic Cup MYR’s Special Dean Chenoweth
1970 Atomic Cup Pay ‘n Pak ‘Lil Buzzard Tommy Fults
1971 Atomic Cup Miss Madison Jim McCormick
1972 Atomic Cup Atlas Van Lines Bill Muncey
1973 APBA Gold Cup Miss Budweiser Dean Chenoweth
1974 U.I.M. World’s Championship Pay ‘n Pak George Henley
1975 APBA Gold Cup Pay ‘n Pak George Henley
1976 Columbia Cup Atlas Van Lines Bill Muncey
1977 APBA Gold Cup Atlas Van Lines Bill Muncey
1978 Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Ron Snyder
1979 Columbia Cup Atlas Van Lines Bill Muncey
1980 Columbia Cup Atlas Van Lines Bill Muncey
1981 Columbia Cup The Squire Shop Chip Hanauer
1982 Columbia Cup The Squire Shop Tom D’Eath
1983 Columbia Cup American Speedy Printing Jack Schafer, Jr.
1984 APBA Gold Cup Atlas Van Lines Chip Hanauer
1985 Columbia Cup Miller American Chip Hanauer
1986 Columbia Cup Miller American Chip Hanauer
1987 Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Jim Kropfeld
1988 Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Tom D’Eath
1989 Columbia Cup Cooper’s Express Mitch Evans
1990 Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Tom D’Eath
1991 Columbia Cup Winston Eagle Mark Tate
1992 Budweiser Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Chip Hanauer
1993 Budweiser Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Chip Hanauer
1994 Budweiser Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Chip Hanauer
1995 Budweiser Columbia Cup Smokin’ Joe’s Mark Tate
1996 Budweiser Columbia Cup PICO American Dream Dave Villwock
1997 Budweiser Columbia Cup PICO American Dream Mark Evans
1998 Budweiser Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Dave Villwock
1999 Budweiser Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Dave Villwock
2000 Budweiser Columbia Cup Miss E-Lam Plus Mark Evans
2001 Budweiser Columbia Cup Znetix II Terry Troxell
2002 Budweiser Columbia Cup Miss E-Lam Plus Nate Brown
2003 Budweiser Columbia Cup Llumar Window Film Mark Evans
2004 Budweiser Columbia Cup Miss Budweiser Dave Villwock
2005 Budweiser Columbia Cup Ellstrom E-Lam Plus Dave Villwock
2006 Atomic Cup Ellstrom E-Lam Plus Dave Villwock
2007 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup Ellstrom E-Lam Plus Dave Villwock
2008 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup Oh Boy! Oberto Steve David
2009 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup Oh Boy! Oberto Steve David
2010 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup Oh Boy! Oberto Steve David
2011 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup Spirit of Qatar Dave Villwock
2012 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup Graham Trucking Jimmy Shane
2013 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup Oh Boy! Oberto Steve David
2014 HAPO Columbia Cup Oberto Jimmy Shane
2015 HAPO APBA Gold Cup Oberto Jimmy Shane
2016 HAPO Columbia Cup Miss HomeStreet Jimmy Shane
2017 HAPO Columbia Cup Graham Trucking J. Michael Kelly
2018 HAPO Columbia Cup Delta Realtrac Andrew Tate
2019 HAPO Columbia Cup Graham Trucking J. Michael Kelly
2021 HAPO Columbia Cup Pinnacle Peak Consulting Corey Peabody
2022 HAPO Columbia Cup Miss Homestreet Jimmy Shane
2023 HAPO Columbia Cup Beacon Plumbing Corey Peabody

References

  1. ↑ TCWF Media Guide Archived 2017-09-23 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ 2021 Hydro Record Book and Statistics. Edmonds, WA: Unlimited NewsJournal. 2021. pp. 31–32.
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