1976 Columbia Cup - Tri-Cities, WA

Color film of the 1976 Columbia Cup on the Columbia River in Tri-Cities, Washington. Several film sources including KING TV, KOMO TV and Schoenith Films were edited together to create the racing action.
To see more from the '76 Columbia Cup, check out Doug Shultes Films 1976.
• 1976 Shultes Films

[@butchgriggs6325]

1976 was my first ever hydroplane race in Seattle. I was 10 years old. It used to be on Green Lake. I lived in Ballard. I went home and built a hydro to pull behind my bike.

[@aaronzimmerman1089]

I’ve told people how I remember the details of this race. Arriving at the river on the Pasco side that day in my grandparents late 1960s blue International truck. It was the first race I went to and I remember all the bright colors of the boats and the veil of blue smoke hanging just above the course from the old WW2 aircraft engines. That big barge at 2:24 that sat in the middle of the track with a large crane on it for pulling a boat up on deck if they needed to save it from sinking. It was the only boat race I went to where it rained most of the day and was relatively cool. That was an incredible day witnessing my first ‘flying circus’ on water. I turned four years old the next week, and now I’m on the brink of 51. Seems strange that most of the people that were on the river that day, including my grandparents and probably all of the drivers, are now gone. Maybe one day I’ll get to see another race just like this one in heaven with my grandparents and everyone else that was there. That would be something. Kid memories 😁👍

[@PAKiller1]

I love any footage that includes my favorite boat of all time. The old Pay N Pak

[@DwightPerkins-i7t]

Nothing like watching and hearing the original thunder boats. Been watching them since the 50s. I'm glad the sport is safer now and very fast but it is different for sure. I'm gonna watch em until Jesus comes 😆

[@williambishop8099]

Bill Muncey great champion underappreciated! Great video thank you

[@Jason-xr7fh]

It's strange to see no houses in the background. I grew up there and my family was always big fans of the Columbia cup.

[@brianallen1738]

Again thank you for all the great footage!

[@kevinmichaelcallihansr5053]

Dreams of memories respecting Rolls-Royce "Griffons and Merlins" and Others, of course. This is the day of real powerboat racing. Thank you kindly.

[@timerickson7056]

Back in the days when a few guys a pile of plywood and asmall bag of cash got you racing.

[@newcarpathia9422]

Wow. That's... um... a lot of middle fingers. Bet that didn't make it to broadcast. :)

[@phoenixrailfan7956]

I was one of a minority of fans who wasn’t flipping the bird since I was Muncey/Atlas fan. Muncey was asked about getting the bird and he said it was nice that so many fans said he was number one

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Enjoyed!!! 🏁🏁

[@10Haille]

To bad the big piston eng are gone. The turbins are boring if there on tv i don't set the dvr 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡