A Hay River father and son duo have blown the metaphorical dust off their racing career, competing in their first international jet boating event since 2016.
Spencer King and his father, Russell King, have been racing high powered boats together since 1990, winning seven overall world titles in four countries.
Spencer says his father got him into racing, first riding with him in 1984. They won their first title in Mexico in 1994, then won five titles in a row throughout the 1998-2002 seasons.
“That’s when I was younger and I could see a little better,” joked Spencer.
Nine years ago, the duo stepped away from the sport. Spencer cited accidents and costs as the reason.
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Entering the 2025 World Jet Boat Racing Championships was a “last-minute decision,” he said. Coaxed on by his father, and tinkering with their 26-year-old boat Sunset Shaker to make it eligible for the A-class division, Spencer once again felt the itch.
The A-class division requires a boat with a hull length above 16 feet and a V8 engine.
While the V8 engine may propel the boat, will and determination propels the Kings. Russell, at the age of 82, continues to man the navigator’s seat.
“We are taking grandpa out on a joyride adventure here,” said Spencer, “and he’s liking it.”
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Russell was inducted into the Order of the Northwest Territories in 2017 for his successful career as a business owner in the NWT. He has lived most of his life with the effects of polio and without the use of his left arm. Building a collection of businesses around the Kingland Ford brand, he still found time to fill a jet boat trophy case.
This month, the Kings made waves when a Facebook post announced the two were back in action. Commenters shared their appreciation and support for the pair and, while Spencer does not have Facebook aside from using his wife’s account to look at Facebook Marketplace, he said he thanks everyone for their support.
This year’s world championships began on June 19 and are set to finish on June 29. Races are taking place in Peace River, Grande Prairie and Taylor, BC, having at one time been scheduled for Hay River before low water cancelled those plans.
Racers from the United States, New Zealand, Mexico and all over Canada are competing.
At the time of writing, the King duo and Sunset Shaker were first in the A-class division and fourth in the overall standings following leg 10 of the race. Six legs remain.
