Fort St. John jet boat racers head to Oregon for world championship

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A couple of Fort St. John jet boat racers are headed to Oregon to compete in the 2024 World Jet Boat Championship from May 4th to 11th.

The local boats competing in the championship include U357 or Unnatural Disaster, driven by Gord Humphrey and navigated by Jason Palfy, and CX 151 or Leroy, piloted by Trapper Wolsley and navigated by Jimmy Jackson.

In the championship, boats compete against the clock through twisting circuits with less than a metre of water.

According to Facebook posts on Jet Boat Racing Canada, Humphrey and Wolsley are veterans of the sport, having each competed for over a decade.

Humphrey’s career began in 2002, and career highlights include winning the 2015 world championship, the first time a turbine engine has taken the top spot, according to Jet Boat Racing Canada.

Jet Boat Racing Canada also noted that Wolsley has competed all over North America since starting his jet boat career 11 years ago, with races in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

The championship will consist of races in Gold Beach and Bandon, Oregon, as well as Klamath, California.

More details on the world championship can be found on the event’s Facebook page.