The Race is On!

The World Championships of jet boat racing are held in the U.S. just once every four years and luckily for us, the 2016 championships are right in our own backyard. Teams from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and New Zealand will be soaring up and down local rivers at speeds of more than 150 miles per hour. The best part for you is it's absolutely free to watch! While you might have seen these boats in action on the St. Joe River the past couple years at Race the Joe, the World Championships incorporate a week-long marathon and racers will compete on four different local rivers.

The Championship kicks off Friday, May 20, with a show and shine in downtown St. Maries. Here, you will have the opportunity to see the jet boats up close and chat with drivers and navigators about what it’s like to race these one-of-a-kind machines. Racing begins Saturday morning, May 21, just outside St. Maries on the St. Joe River. Boats start one minute apart and race all the way to Cataldo. Racers then make a return trip back to the launch.

The St. Joe hosts the first leg of the races Saturday and Sunday, and after a mandatory day off on Monday, racing resumes Tuesday and Wednesday on the Coeur d’Alene River starting at Harrison. This 30-mile stretch is from the Gateway Marina all the way to Cataldo. After another day off Thursday, the race completes the third and final leg outside of Lewiston on the Grand Ronde and Snake Rivers. Once complete, the boats will have raced a total of 545 miles!

Spectators can bring their own coolers and seats, but please remember to stop at designated turnouts so you aren’t blocking highway traffic. For a complete race schedule and up to date information, follow the race at facebook.com/worldjetboat race.

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