Water levels concern Columbia Cup officials enough to stop racing and shift the course

There were no unlimited hydroplane highlights on the first day of the Apollo Columbia Cup.

That’s because the eight big boats entered in this weekend’s competition weren’t allowed on the course due to shallow water.

Due to an accident a few weeks ago at Valleyfield — in which a Grand Prix driver eventually died when his boat flipped and landed in shallow water — officials at other racecourses around the world are being more cautious with the course setups.

In this case, the depth of the water in the northwest turn (the Pasco side of the river) of the course is deemed too shallow. That’s under 8 feet and could be a dangerous spot for heavy unlimited boats.

“New safety procedures have taken place,” said Water Follies race director Aaron Stephens, who is asking officials at McNary Dam for the water to be raised higher.

H1 Chief Referee Jonathan Abbott was out on the Columbia River, checking the depth of parts of the course.

But to hedge their bets that racing does happen Saturday and Sunday, Abbott, H1 Unlimited officials and Stephens decided to shift the course a bit.

“We’re moving the course east about 350 feet,” said Stephens. “Instead of a 2 ½-mile course, it’ll be closer to 2 miles.”

That announcement had some teams enter some of their crew members into races of their own race: Get back to the Seattle shop and grab the gearboxes for shorter courses.

The good news for the H1 teams is that next week’s Seafair race is run on a 2-mile course, giving many of them who consider Seattle their home port, and where many of their sponsors are from, some water time to prep for that race.

Coming in prepared for a 2.5-mile course, then changing it into a 2-mile layout, has thrown a curveball at the teams.

“Strategically, it changes the whole game plan to one we’ve never done before,” said Charlie Grooms, who is the president and manager of the U-91 Miss Goodman Real Estate/Miss Madison team. “Here we don’t know what’s going to happen. But thank God for computer data.”

Grooms’ driver, Andrew Tate, says this is an unusual situation. But everyone is in the same predicament.

“In golf, all of the players are different, but it’s the same course,” said Tate. “Some can shoot short irons well. Some are better with the driver. Others are better on the green. But it’s something new to the drivers and the crew chiefs.

“I’m still expecting that first turn to be rough.”

This is the second time in four years that Columbia Cup qualifying was postponed a day.

In 2021, after almost two years of no boats on the course, a large growing weed on the Franklin County side of the river kept race officials from allowing boats to race.

After the Columbia Cup water ops team was able to clear out that area overnight, racing resumed the next day.

Water Follies officials were able to adjust the schedule Friday by adding more heat races of the smaller classifications — Grand Prix, 250 stocks, and e350s — and taking some of their races off of Saturday’s schedule.

That will clear space for H1 Unlimited testing and qualifying before Heats 1A and 1B later in the day.

Here is Saturday’s revised schedule, via Stephens:

8 a.m. — Park opens.

8-10 a.m. — H1 testing.

10:15 a.m. — Grand Prix heat race.

10:30-11 a.m. — Vintage driving school.

11 a.m. — Air show.

1:45-2:45 p.m. — H1 qualifying.

3 p.m. — Grand Prix heat race.

3:15 p.m. — Vintage heat race.

3:45 p.m. — 2.5 stock heat race.

4 p.m. — E350 heat race.

4:15 p.m. — Vintage heat race.

4:30 p.m. — H1 heat 1A race.

5 p.m. — H1 heat 1B race.