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Madison Regatta
Event information
Type H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race
Race area Ohio River, Madison, Indiana
Dates July 1–3
Sponsor
  • MainSource Bank (Title sponsor)
  • Belterra Casino Resort (Presenting sponsor)
Distance 2.5 mi (4 km)
Media coverage ESPN3
WORX-FM
First race 1950

The Indiana Governor's Cup (more commonly known as the Madison Regatta) is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held annually on Independence Day weekend on the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. Madison has hosted the Madison Regatta annually since 1951, although the race was also contested in the 1930s. The race inspired a Hollywood motion picture released in 2005, titled Madison which starred actor Jim Caviezel.The Regatta was part of the APBA Gold Cup in 1979, 1980. 2019, & will be contested in 2021.

History

Informal racing took place in Madison, Indiana as early as 1911. But the first major race didn't occur until 1929. That was when the now-defunct Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association conducted a race for the 725 Cubic Inch Class, which evolved into the Unlimited Class after World War II. The MVPBA conducted the Webb Trophy at Madison in 1930. The Webb Trophy was the MVPBA equivalent of the APBA Gold Cup—their top award.

The 725s raced at Madison throughout the 1930s until the disastrous Ohio River flood of 1937 and World War II brought down the curtain for a while.

The current series of regattas in Madison began in 1949. This was a "wildcat" race, administered by the Ohio Valley Motor Boat Racing Association of Cincinnati. The largest class present was the 225 Cubic Inch Class.

The first Unlimited race took place in 1950. The Unlimited races at Madison from 1950 to 1953 were one-heat multi-class free-for-all affairs. They didn't count for National High Points.

The first High Points Unlimited race at Madison occurred in 1954. This came about largely through the efforts of Madison Courier columnist Phil Cole. (A High Points Unlimited race must be scheduled for a minimum of two heats with at least four boats making a legal start.)

Madison had an uninterrupted string of High Points Unlimited races every year from 1954 through 2012. The 2013 races were canceled because of flooding on the Ohio that covered the pit area, although the land-based events associated with the regatta went on as scheduled.

Madison hosted the APBA Gold Cup in 1971, 1979–1980, 2019, and 2021. Madison hosted the U.I.M. World's Championship in 1972 and 2004.

The Madison committee is the longest continuously active Unlimited committee in the country. Madison Regatta, Inc. (formerly the Madison Boat Club) has hosted the Unlimiteds every year since 1950 (except in 2013 and 2015 because of river conditions). Seattle didn't start until 1951. Detroit has been on the circuit since 1946, but with four different committees.

List of Madison Regatta winners

MadisonRegattaWinner2008
2008 winner FormulaBoats.com

Source:

Year Event Driver Boat
1951 Indiana Governor's Cup Marion Cooper Hornet
1952 Indiana Governor's Cup Burnett Bartley Wildcatter
1953 Indiana Governor's Cup Burnett Bartley Wildcatter
1954 Indiana Governor's Cup Bill Cantrell Gale IV
1955 Indiana Governor's Cup Danny Foster Tempo VII
1956 Indiana Governor's Cup Fred Alter Miss US I
1957 Indiana Governor's Cup Jack Regas Hawaii Kai III
1958 Indiana Governor's Cup Don Wilson Miss US I
1959 Indiana Governor's Cup Ron Musson Hawaii Kai III
1960 Indiana Governor's Cup Bill Muncey Miss Thriftway
1961 Indiana Governor's Cup Bill Muncey Miss Century 21
1962 Indiana Governor's Cup Bill Muncey Miss Century 21
1963 Indiana Governor's Cup Bill Brow Miss Exide
1964 Indiana Governor's Cup Chuck Thompson Tahoe Miss
1965 Indiana Governor's Cup Chuck Thompson Tahoe Miss
1966 Indiana Governor's Cup Mira Slovak Tahoe Miss
1967 Indiana Governor's Cup Billy Schumacher Miss Bardahl
1968 Indiana Governor's Cup Billy Schumacher Miss Bardahl
1969 Indiana Governor's Cup Dean Chenoweth Myr's Special
1970 Indiana Governor's Cup Dean Chenoweth Miss Budweiser
1971 APBA Gold Cup Jim McCormick Miss Madison
1972 U.I.M. World's Championship Bill Muncey Atlas Van Lines
1973 Indiana Governor's Cup Mickey Remund Pay 'n Pak
1974 Indiana Governor's Cup George Henley Pay 'n Pak
1975 Indiana Governor's Cup George Henley Pay n'Pak
1976 Indiana Governor's Cup Bill Muncey Atlas Van Lines
1977 Indiana Governor's Cup Eric Godfrey Miss Budweiser
1978 Indiana Governor's Cup Bill Muncey Atlas Van Lines
1979 APBA Gold Cup Bill Muncey Atlas Van Lines
1980 APBA Gold Cup Dean Chenoweth Miss Budweiser
1981 Indiana Governor's Cup Dean Chenoweth Miss Budweiser
1982 Indiana Governor's Cup Tom D'Eath The Squire Shop
1983 Indiana Governor's Cup Jim Kropfeld Miss Budweiser
1984 Indiana Governor's Cup Chip Hanauer Atlas Van Lines
1985 Indiana Governor's Cup Steve Reynolds Miss 7-Eleven
1986 Indiana Governor's Cup Chip Hanauer Miller American
1987 Indiana Governor's Cup Jim Kropfield Miss Budweiser
1988 Indiana Governor's Cup Scott Pierce Mr. Pringle's
1989 Indiana Governor's Cup Jim Kropfield Miss Budweiser
1990 Indiana Governor's Cup Chip Hanauer Miss Circus Circus
1991 Indiana Governor's Cup Mark Evans American Spirit
1992 Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup Chip Hanauer Miss Budweiser
1993 Indiana Governor's Cup Chip Hanauer Miss Budweiser
1994 Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup Chip Hanauer Miss Budweiser
1995 Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup Mark Tate Smokin' Joe's
1996 Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup Mark Tate Smokin' Joe's
1997 Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser
1998 Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser
1999 Jasper Indiana Governor's Cup Chip Hanauer Miss Pico
2000 Indiana Governor's Cup Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser
2001 Beltano Casino Madison Regatta Steve David Oh Boy! Oberto
2002 Budweiser Madison Regatta Nate Brown Miss Elam Plus
2003 Budweiser Madison Regatta Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser
2004 U.I.M. World's Championship Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser
2005 Budweiser Madison Regatta J.W. Myers Miss Elam Plus
2006 Madison Regatta Dave Villwock Miss Elam Plus
2007 Indiana Governor's Cup Dave Villwock Miss Elam Plus
2008 Indiana Governor's Cup Jeff Bernard Formulaboats.com
2009 Indiana Governor's Cup Dave Villwock Miss Elam Plus
2010 Indiana Governor's Cup Steve David Oh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison
2011 Indiana Governor's Cup Steve David Oh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison
2012 Lucas Oil Indiana Governor's Cup Dave Villwock Spirit of Qatar
2013 No race; canceled due to high water
2014 Indiana Governor's Cup J. Michael Kelly U-5 Graham Trucking
2015 [NO TROPHY AWARDED] J. Michael Kelly 1 U-5 Graham Trucking
2016 MainSource Bank Madison Regatta Jimmy Shane Homestreet Bank
2017 Indiana Governor's Cup Andrew Tate Delta Realtrac
2018 Madison Regatta Jimmy Shane Miss Homestreet
2019 APBA Gold Cup Jimmy Shane Miss Homestreet
2020 APBA Gold Cup No race; canceled due to COVID
2021 APBA Gold Cup Jimmy Shane Miss Homestreet

1 H1 Unlimited cancelled the 2015 race because of high water and debris on the Ohio River where six of the 11 boats withdrew. A non-championship race was held instead with five boats.

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