A Guide to 6 of the World's Most Amazing Boat Races

Whether it's about speed, stamina, boat design, or all of the above, boat racing in all its forms is a fascinating competition with many unique aspects and dimensions. It is as much a battle of man against man and man against water as it is a collaboration between men and the water they ride.

Where there is water, there is an opportunity for racing. With a boat license, you'll know how to stay safe while racing your boat. 

However, if you're not ready to race your boat, there are plenty of races to watch or read about. Here are six of the world's most amazing boat races.

1. Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Location: Alappuzha, Kerala, India

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is an annual event held on the second Saturday of August. It is Alappuzha's (aka Alleppey's) most important tourist event and the most competitive and popular boat race in all of Kerala. 

Held in the gorgeous, lush backwaters of Punnamda Lake, spectators gather in the thousands to watch the boat race's most popular event: the race of the Chundan Vallams (i.e., Snake Boats). 

Chundans measure 100-120 feet and carry 90-100 rowers. These rowers produce 90 to 120 strokes per minute and can cover a distance of 1.4 km in 5 minutes. The Chundan Vallam holds the record for the biggest water vessel used for sports purposes.

Fun Fact: The Nehru Trophy Boat Race got its name when Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India, visited Kerala in 1962 and had his first experience sailing in a snake boat. On his return to Delhi, Nehru donated a Silver Trophy, a replica of a snake boat.

2. Stanley International Dragon Boat Race

Location: Stanley Bay, Hong Kong, China

The Dragon Boat Festival has been celebrated annually in China for over 2000 years, with its most popular event being the Stanley Dragon Boat Race. Over 140 teams from around the world compete in this visually astounding event. 

Dragon boats vary in length and crew size. A standard dragon boat can carry around 22 crew members, comprising 20 paddlers in pairs facing the boat's bow. 

One drummer (the heartbeat of the boat) is at the bow facing the paddlers, and one sweep (a steerer) is at the rear. The drummer leads the paddlers through the race using the drum beat to indicate the frequency and synchronicity of all the paddlers' strokes.

Fun Fact: The current Guinness World Record for the longest distance traveled in a dragon boat was 340 miles down the Missouri River, and took 38 hours and 5 minutes.

3. The Boat Race/Xchanging Boat Race

Location: Thames River, London, England

Known simply as 'The Boat Race,' this renowned rowing race is a competition between the Oxford University Boat Club and Cambridge University's Boat Club. In 2010, an estimated quarter of a million people watched the race live from the banks of the Thames River, and millions watched it on television. 

The course is four and a quarter miles (6.779 km), beginning at Putney and finishing at Mortlake. The rowing boat is Olympic class and called an Eight, as it is designed for eight rowers. The first race was in 1829, and it has been held annually (generally on the last Saturday of March or the first Saturday of April) since 1856, with the exception of the cholera outbreak in London in 1831 and the two world wars.

4. Super Boat International Boat Race

Location: United States

Super Boat International produces powerboat racing events for the fastest offshore race boats in the world. With aptly named superboats such as War Paint, Watch Your Back, and the Instigator, these speed fiends power through the waves at up to 200 mph on rectangular racecourses, which average six miles long.

Fun Fact: Super Boat International events have attracted many celebrity racers, including Don Johnson, Kurt Russell, Chuck Norris, Bruce Jenner, and Jason Priestley.

5. International Hot Boat Association World Finals

Location: Phoenix, Arizona, United States

On your marks, get set . . . drag! 

Drag boat racing is much like land drag racing but adapted to water. Two high-performance race boats compete in an acceleration race over a measured quarter-mile straightway (13,320 feet). 

Standard drag-race boats reach speeds of 100-140 mph – so it's important to prioritize safety if you're driving one of these boats!

The top Fuel Hydroplane class is the premier category of dragboat racing. They are the water-based equivalent of Top Fuel Dragsters. These drag boats are capable of covering the quarter mile in less than four seconds with a terminal speed of around 260 mph (400 km/h)!

Fun Fact: In 1987, Eddie Hill set an all-time speed record of 285.98 mph at the Chief Auto Parts Nationals at Texas Motorplex, becoming the first person to hold both the land and water speed records simultaneously.

6. The Great River Amazon Raft Race

Location: Iquitos, Peru

Rafters, rowers, and paddlers from all over the world unite for this one-of-a-kind rafting adventure. Not only does the race take three days, covering 112 miles of the mighty Amazon River, but the teams of four are required to build their own log rafts one day before the race! 

The first Amazon Raft Race, which was 12 miles long and took place on July 29, 1999, on the Nanay River, was won by the team that completed the course in 4 hours and 20 minutes.

Fun Fact: The Great River Amazon Raft Race was founded by Mike Collis, who had moved to Iquitos from Birmingham, England, for a "quiet life." In 1999, the Director of Tourism in Iquitos asked Mike if he had any ideas to promote tourism in the Amazon region. Mike told him that for more than 25 years, he had organized raft races in England, and from there, the Greta Race was born.

Whether Racing or Floating, Stay Safe With Boater Education

Boat races can be a lot of fun to watch. They can also be fun to participate in – but any time you operate or ride in a boat traveling at high speeds, safety becomes a bigger concern. 

Whether you plan to race your boat or simply drive to your favorite fishing spot and float for a while, understanding how to stay safe on the water is crucial. BOATERexam provides online boating education courses to help boaters operate boats safely, including maintaining legal speeds on the water (when not in an official race). 

Before you launch for a race or your next day of pulling the family on waterskis at the lake, make sure you're safety certified. For U.S. boaters, find the course for your state. When boating in Canada, select the Canada-approved course. 

Originally published April 11, 2011. Content updated April 6, 2023.