LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Belle of Louisville on Wednesday won its second straight Great Steamboat Race, besting the Belle of Cincinnati and American Duchess.
It was an overcast day on the Ohio River, but the rain slowed as the boats took off from downtown Louisville.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on capacity, only 325 spectators were allowed to be on the Belle of Louisville during the race. In years past, there have been as many as 700 people on the historic steamboat.
Barb Teibens and her neighbors knew the famous event was one they couldn't miss this year.
"We just wanted to have fun, you know? Just trying to get into the Derby excitement because we are not going to Derby on Saturday," Teibens said. "This was one of the festivities I've never attended before so I wanted to try that."
With Wednesday's victory, the Belle has now won the Great Steamboat Race 29 times since the competition began in 1963 as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival. The Belle also won the 2019 edition of the race.
And we have our winner... The Silver Antlers are going to the @BELLELOUISVILLE this year! We’ll be seeing you out on the river @BBRiverboats and The American Duchess! pic.twitter.com/dbjXj8d4JW
— KY Derby Festival (@KyDerbyFestival) April 29, 2021
The race was put on pause in 2020. Instead, the Belle took on its sister boat, the Mary M. Miller, in a tribute to the race in September.
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