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ALTON, Ill. — Treiden Schleicher, a 20-year-old powerboat racer and recent competitor at the Alton Midwest Nationals Powerboat Championships, died Tuesday morning, July 29, 2025, in a boating accident at Champions Park Lake in Springfield, Ohio.
Schleicher, a fan favorite who raced in the Formula Lite division along the Mississippi River in Alton just weeks earlier on July 19 and 20, lost control of his powerboat during the 2025 Stock, Mod, and Junior Nationals racing event. Officials reported that he experienced problems that caused his boat to become tangled, leading to the crash.
At the Alton event, Schleicher had placed second behind Shelby Love, who is also his girlfriend.
Known for his passion for speed and competition both on land and water, Schleicher was admired for his adventurous spirit. When not racing, he enjoyed fishing, a pastime that brought him peace and created lasting memories.
Clover Construction, Schleicher’s race team, "On behalf of Clover Racing, we would like to thank everyone for the love, support, and prayers during this difficult time. RIP Treiden, you will be missed so much by everyone. His words were a testament to his adventurous spirit: “Drive fast, live fast, die fast, live no,w not tomorrow, tomorrow isn’t promised, love all, trust few.”
F1 Powerboat also released a statement saying, “Today, we lost one of our own. We are heartbroken beyond words as we offer condolences to his family, friends, and the entire Love family. His vibrant personality transcended to all of us with his infectious smile and youthful enthusiasm. We are all trying to understand this tragedy, knowing Treiden will live on through us all.”
