Great Steamboat Race

Since 2009, the Delta Queen has not participated due to ownership and legal issues, and the Belle of Cincinnati has taken its place in the competition.

The event pits at least two riverboats against each other in the span of the Ohio River that runs between Louisville, Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana.

The competitors were traditionally the Belle of Louisville and the Delta Queen, although other additional or substitutionary vessels occasionally competed.

The American Queen, returned to overnight steamboat service in April 2012, competed in the three-way race on May 2, 2012, and finished as second.

The Louisville's winning record compared to the Queen's larger size and more powerful engines has helped fuel the unproven speculation that the race is predetermined.

The American Queen is one of only five major riverboats in the United States that are powered by steam.
Competitors start to arrive at the start point of the 2007 Race
Spectators of the 2007 Race at Duffy's Landing in Jeffersonville, Indiana
The Belle of Cincinnati follows the competitors in 2007
The Delta Queen at the start of the 2008 race