Roarin' on the river

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

ST. MARIES — Roaring jet boats won't be the only thing racing organizers will be watching on the St. Joe River this weekend.

Rising water levels are also competing for followers' interest.

Shirley Ackerman, director of the sixth annual Race the Joe! jet boat races at St. Maries, said on Thursday that racing is still planned for Saturday and Sunday, but organizers will be monitoring the river level closely and are prepared to make spontaneous adjustments if necessary.

"The high water does present some challenges, but race organizers are prepared to address them as needed," she said. "We may need to make some logistics changes such as a slight increase of time between race legs. We will be watching the river conditions closely to ensure no unsafe conditions exist on race days."

The river at St. Maries, which is at one end of the 25-mile course, was at 32.15 feet on Thursday morning. The National Weather Service predicts the level was expected to reach the flood stage of 32.5 feet late Thursday night or early this morning.

The peak flow is predicted to reach 33.26 feet this afternoon.

The event starts with a free boat show at the Cormana building at 10th and Idaho streets from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight. Racing teams will be present.

Racing from St. Maries to Calder runs from 10 a.m. until after 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There will be food, beverages, race apparel and programs at Idaho Forest Industries 2 miles up the river from St. Maries.

All spectators must stay at least 50 feet from the edge of the water.

"This is to keep the spectators and racers safe," Ackerman said. "It is also a requirement for our sanctioning regulations."

Viewing is allowed from any public access point along the course.

"The race teams love seeing all the spectators along the course," Ackerman said.

Ackerman said she expects 18 to 20 teams to compete this year.

"We have several teams who will be joining us for the first time," she said.

Among the Unlimited Class racers is Post Falls' Ross Schlotthauer, who is a past USA1 champion.

The speeds of the boats vary from 80 to 140 mph. The "Bad Habit" turbine jet engine boat has the fastest world record speed of 143 set in 2016. The father-son team of Chad and Willie Burns from Canada have participated in every race at St. Maries since 2012. They won the world championship when it was held in St. Maries in 2016.

Current USA1 jet boat champion Jake Barney from Lewiston will also be competing. His wife, Casey, is the navigator.

Racers must compete in the three jet river racing venues — Riggins, St. Maries and Lewiston — to be eligible for the USA1 title. The fastest overall accumulated time wins the title.

New to this year's lineup is a Club Class, an entry-level classification that allows racers to get their feet wet with the sport.

"These boats have a Chevy Crate 350 engine without any modifications or rebuilds allowed," Ackerman said, adding that there are five different classifications in the event based on engine speed and hull design.

For more information on the races, call 208-596-1103 or email racethejoe@outlook.com.