Unlimited Hydro Gold Cup Race Returns to Tri-Cities in 2025

The Gold Cup is the Daytona 500 or Indy 500 of unlimited hydro racing, and it's coming back to Tri-Cities.

  For the first time in 9 years, Gold Cup returns

 H1Unlimited has announced the 2025 schedule, and the Tri-Cities Columbia Cup will be the Gold Cup next summer.

The Columbia River has seen the race a number of times, some of the most legendary hydro battles have happened just west of the Blue Bridge. 1973, 1975, 1977 and 1984 were among those big events.

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In 2015, the Gold Cup to Tri-Cities after the original race slated for Detroit was canceled.

H1Unlimited Board Chairman Mike Denslow released this statement on their website:

“We’re extremely pleased to announce our 2025 H1 Unlimited schedule before everyone settles in for the holidays,” said Mike Denslow, Chairman of the Board of H1 Unlimited. “We saw incredible crowds at last season’s events, and we know between our great venue partners and our team at H1, the 2025 experience for fans will be even better. For Water Follies in Tri-Cities to be this year’s host of the Gold Cup means a lot to this region of the country. We know it will be a great battle and wonderful way to celebrate their 60^th season of hydroplane racing.”

The 2025 Tri-Cities Water Follies and ABPA Gold Cup will be held the weekend of July 25th through 27th on the Columbia River. Four other races still be staged, including Seattle's Sea Fair the week after Tri-Cities.