Trent Ling began covering his beloved sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing at the tender age of 16 in 1981 over KONA radio in Pasco, Washington. Eventually married with children, Trent retired from his annual hydroplane gigs following the 1994 season.
“Years later, on a bit of a whim, we used the Ling Communications arm of the business to get back into the sport to push its television-coverage envelope,” Trent recalls. “Hands down, the pinnacle for me in covering this treasured sport was the 2002 Columbia Cup: in my hometown, positioned with a birds-eye view, working with legendary driver Chip Hanauer, and seeing Nate Brown and Dave Villwock give no quarter to each other in a showdown of the best built and run boats in history. That moment has proven to be enough to satisfy me for the rest of my hydroplane-watching days.”
Below, revisit this memorable showdown/throwdown on the mighty Columbia River:
If your browser does not support and provide the embedded video above, visit Trent’s YouTube Page directly to find it and all other videos featured on this site.
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Wow, I tried to see it without the commentary, but with commentary on it’s way exhilirating! At times this race seems to mirror what’s going on spiritually with disciples. It is admirable that Miss Budweisser drove it that last lap even if it wasn’t going to let them win. I was always told in track and field that the problem with girl runners vs boy runners was the boys still run super fast if not faster as they crossed the finish lines, while girl runners slowed down as they approached the finish line. Spiritiually there are some issues I’m spearheading to the finish line at tops speeds whether or not I’m coming as a winner and I need to learn to be conscious of the ones where I’m just flailing and slowing down on. The video gave me a good pictorial reminder of real victors look like – they give it all they got all the time. love you and thank you!
Wow, that was a crazy season! Trent and his beloved sport in his hometown! Thanks for taking us back to one of the many extraordinary journeys you’ve taken us. Meme, I like your highlights of our racing season. We, certainly, will miss this year race and your beautiful home, but our kids are not missing a bit! Go O’Boy Oberto!
What a fun weekend! What a fun racing season that was! Thanks so much again for taking us along. So many highlights: Chip Hanauer and his dad at our house for dinner with the neighbor kids coming over for autographs; being there for your interview with local TV news; Egg Foo Yung in Madison, Indiana; seeing such urban decay in Detroit; watching scary movies with the kids while you & Siauw were out and about in Las Vegas; ice cream at Hoover Dam; watching you on TV; I could go on and on but fortunately with the space allowed, I’m old and can’t remember everything! But this year, you will be missed in Pasco while your kids are enjoying the Thunder on the Columbia.
Half a rooster tail! They could reach out and touch each other! I love it! Very exciting race, I can see how you fell in love with it. You and Chip made a good team too.