Unlimited hydroplane racing returns to the Columbia River this weekend, as the Apollo Columbia Cup brings H1 Unlimited back to the Tri-Cities for the 61st time. Racing runs Friday, July 24 to Sunday, July 26, at Columbia Park in Kennewick, Washington, as the headline event of the Tri-City Water Follies festival.
The Water Follies weekend is ticketed, not free. General admission viewing starts at $60 for a two-day pass, with a three-day pass plus pit access at $70, alongside a range of premium viewing packages. Full pricing and options are available through the official Water Follies ticket page.
What You’ll See
H1 Unlimited hydroplanes are 30-foot, turbine-powered boats that ride on a cushion of air, touching the water at only three points. Engines derived from Chinook helicopter powerplants produce around 3,000 horsepower, sending the boats to speeds close to 200 miles per hour on the straights and throwing rooster tails of spray more than 60 feet into the air.
The Columbia River course at Tri-Cities has produced the fastest qualifying times on the H1 Unlimited calendar for several years running, so this is the weekend to catch these boats at their quickest. Powerboat News’ Complete Guide to Unlimited Hydroplane Racing has more on how the boats and the sport work.
Alongside the Unlimiteds, this year’s Columbia Cup adds 2.5 Litre Stock hydroplanes to the bill for the first time, plus vintage Unlimited hydroplanes, Grand Prix America boats and radio-controlled hydro replicas. The weekend also includes the STCU Over-the-River Air Show, running above the same stretch of river.
Event Schedule
All times Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC-7). Subject to change.| Session | Local time (PDT, UTC-7) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, July 24 | ||
| Testing | 8:00AM – 9:50AM | 8:00AM |
| Qualifying Round 1 | 1:30PM – 2:30PM | 1:30PM |
| Qualifying Round 2 | 3:45PM – 4:45PM | 3:45PM |
| Saturday, July 25 | ||
| Testing | 8:00AM – 9:30AM | 8:00AM |
| Autograph Session | 12:00PM | 12:00PM |
| Heat 1A | 1:00PM | 1:00PM |
| Heat 1B | 1:20PM | 1:20PM |
| Heat 2A | 4:15PM | 4:15PM |
| Heat 2B | 4:45PM | 4:45PM |
| Sunday, July 26 | ||
| Testing | 7:30AM – 8:30AM | 7:30AM |
| Opening Ceremonies | 9:15AM | 9:15AM |
| Heat 3A | 10:00AM | 10:00AM |
| Heat 3B | 10:30AM | 10:30AM |
| Heat 4A | 2:20PM | 2:20PM |
| Heat 4B | 2:40PM | 2:40PM |
| Apollo Columbia Cup Final Heat | 4:30PM | 4:30PM |
All times Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC-7). Your time converts automatically to your local timezone.
Getting There and Parking
Racing takes place on the Columbia River, west of the Blue Bridge, and can be watched from Columbia Park on the Kennewick side or along the riverfront in Pasco. The Kennewick side is entered from Highway 240 West or the West Edison entrance, at 5111 Columbia Park Trail, Kennewick, WA 99336.
Parking at Columbia Park costs $10 per car each day of the event, with no in-and-out privileges. Limited general admission parking is also available on the Pasco side off Sylvester Street, free on Friday and $10 on Saturday and Sunday; parking offered elsewhere in Pasco is on private property and not affiliated with Water Follies. ADA parking is available at the main Kennewick lot for guests with a valid handicap placard.
Kennewick Parks and Recreation is coordinating park rules directly with organisers this year, including new guidance against setting up early and leaving property unattended in Columbia Park.
The Championship Battle
Jimmy Shane leads the 2026 H1 Unlimited standings after his comeback win in the U-27 Miss Apollo at the APBA Gold Cup at Madison, his sixth Gold Cup and first H1 Unlimited race since 2022. Andrew Tate sits second in the U-1 BWR Racing boat, despite a bearing out penalty that dropped him to fifth in the Madison final.
J. Michael Kelly in the U-00 Maverick and Corey Peabody in the U-3 Tahoe Miss round out the top four in points. The full 2026 standings are updated after every round.
Nine boats are expected across the two Pacific Northwest races this month, with Brandon Kennedy’s U-6 Miss Madison confirmed for both the Columbia Cup and the following weekend’s Apollo Mechanical Cup in Seattle, according to Powerboat News’ preseason testing report.
Follow the 2026 H1 Unlimited Season
Powerboat News covers every round of the H1 Unlimited season, from the Gold Cup at Madison through to the Columbia Cup, the Apollo Mechanical Cup and the Bill Muncey Cup finale in San Diego.
More H1 Unlimited Coverage
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
