Race takes place May 2, 2018 in Louisville
American Queen Steamboat Company, operator of the most opulent riverboats in the world, will participate in the 2018 Great Steamboat Race in Louisville on May 2. The U.S. flagged American Duchess, the first all-suite paddlewheeler on U.S. waters, will race alongside the Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati on the Ohio River in a competition which has been held annually since 1963.
The 14-mile course on the Ohio River starts and finishes at the Clark Memorial Bridge. The winner will be determined by the first boat to cross the finish line and presented with the set of 12-point Silver Antlers at the post-race ceremony.
“The Great Steamboat Race is such a fun Kentucky Derby Festival tradition and American Queen Steamboat Company is thrilled to be participating again with our newest riverboat – American Duchess,” said John Waggoner Chairman and CEO of American Queen Steamboat Company and board member of the Kentucky Derby. “This is an exciting time of the year in Kentucky with racing on everybody’s mind, and we’re glad to play a part in keeping the tradition alive.”
Representatives of the Kentucky Derby Festival and guests will enjoy a special single-barrel
Four Roses Bourbon. Boarding for the Great Steamboat Race will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.with all the boats departing the shore at 5:45 for a 6 p.m. start.
The American Duchess is a floating, intimate masterpiece that can carry up to 166 guests through America’s heartland. With 46 sailings in 2019, the American Duchess will showcase the history and beauty of America’s heartland along the Mississippi River with new stops and overnights in vibrant ports including Nashville and Chicago.
For additional information and reservations, kindly contact the American Queen Steamboat Company at 888-749-5280, visit http://www.
Kentucky Derby Festival Great Steamboat Race 2013
American Queen Steamboat Company
American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) is the operator of the U.S. flagged American Queen, the largest, most opulent riverboat in the world. Longer than a football field, towering six decks in height and laced with fanciful gingerbread trim, she is a marvel of modern engineering. Her journeys through the heartland offer a unique perspective on America’s history, culture and landscape with convenient departures from some of America’s most iconic river port cities including Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and Minneapolis. In April 2014, AQSC began serving the Pacific Northwest with the opulence and grandeur of the American Empressand has added the American Duchessto the Mississippi River in August 2017.
