AP and staff reports

The speeds won’t be as fast as high-performance cigarette boat racing, but a battle between the steamboats could be just as exciting.

The Steamboat Olympics will make its way to Natchez today as a part of the Great Steamboat Race.

Every year the Mississippi Queen and Delta Queen recreate the famous 1870 riverboat race between the Robert E. Lee and the Natchez.

The annual Steamboat Jubilee and Floozie Day in Natchez is Monday June 26.

The Steamboat Jubilee and Floozie Day is part of the Great Steamboat Race up the Mississippi River between the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen steamboats.

Laura Godfrey, director of public relations for the Natchez Visitor Center, said the passengers on the two steamboats participate in the two events in Natchez and other events along the river at different cities.

The two steamboats will dock at Natchez Under-the-Hill and the celebration will take place there.

The boats generally dock before 1 p.m. the day of the celebration according to Godfrey and the celebration begins at 3 p.m.

The race started Saturday and continues for 11 days and nights as the riverboats passengers and crew compete for the coveted Commodores Cup.

”At every port there are contests between passengers and crew in fabulous old river towns,” said Tom Hook, director of entertainment for The Delta Queen Steamboat Co. ”In Natchez, there is a huge citywide welcome, a tour of the elegant antebellum homes and the famous Floozie Contest. In Vicksburg, there’s a tour of Civil War battlefields, and in Greenville, there’s the Steamboatin Olympics.”

The Steamboat Olympics consists of teams made up of passengers on the boat.

Each team competes in such activities as raw-egg tosses and other relay races.

The race will conclude July 4 as fireworks and the golden arches of St. Louis greet the boats when they line up for a true speed race into the city.

The winner will sail away with the ”Golden Antlers,” the traditional trophy of steamboat racing.