River Rats seeks $3K fee forgiveness for summer World Jet Boat Championships and Annual Poker Rally

TAYLOR, B.C. — A jet boat racing club will have $3,075 in fees forgiven for two summer events it is hosting in Taylor this summer, the 2025 World Jet Boat Championships and its Annual Poker Rally. 

With jet boat racing teams from around the world set to descend upon the Peace region for the world championships in June, representatives from the Peace Country River Rats appeared before Taylor council on April 22nd to speak about the upcoming race. 

Leanne Humphrey and Kathy Wolsey asked for fee forgiveness for areas of Peace Island Park, as well as reserve parking for boats and safety crews, temporary noise bylaw changes and additional parking for spectators.

The world championships is not the only event the River Rats is hosting in Taylor; the 21st Annual Poker Rally is scheduled for July 11th to 13th. Last year’s event saw 86 boats registered.

The total value of the River Rats’ request to the District of Taylor was $3,075 in fee forgiveness – $2,097 for the World Jet Boat Championships and $978 for the Annual Poker Rally.

Although Councillor Desirae Graziano expressed concern over the financial impacts of using more than half the district’s remaining 2025 grant-in-aid fund of $6,050 for this purpose, council voted in favour of the River Rats’ request.

This is the third time the River Rats will be hosting a section of the world championships on the Peace River in Taylor.

It also hosted a section of the race from Peace Island Park in Taylor in 2015 and 2019, bringing jet boat racing fans from around the world to the tiny community.

As in 2019, this year’s event in Taylor will feature the closing ceremonies.

The race will be held from June 20th to 29th in various locations, including Peace River, Grande Prairie and Taylor. 

Humphrey said there are 27 boats registered so far, including up to six coming from Mexico, six from New Zealand and four from the Northwest Territories.

The River Rats was formed in 1976, and by encouraging multi-generational participation, has grown to 109 members over the years.

In addition to jet boat racing, club members are involved in the local community, organizing spring clean-ups in the campgrounds along the Peace and Pine Rivers. This year’s clean-up will take place on May 24th.

The River Rats has also supported the region by donating to the FSJ Hospital Foundation and helping to fund the pavilion and playground in Peace Island Park and many other projects.

Hosting the world championships requires significant planning, preparation and community support, but provides positive economic impact on the region and Taylor in particular.

For more information, Humphrey said to visit the Jet Boat Racing Canada website, which has information about the upcoming world championships and other events in communities which participate in jet boat racing on their local rivers.

This comes after a Fort St. John boat crew – Unnatural Disaster driven by Gord Humphrey – won the 2024 World Jet Boat Championship in both overall and unlimited classes in Oregon and California.