I am reviewing my old blog posts. Here is one originally posted on August 9, 2006 just after the first Missouri River 340 Race from Kansas City to St Charles. It was a very small and simple race then: 15 boats, 100 hour deadline, no checkpoints. It was a nice surprise to see another boat on the river after the first day. Some nostalgic memories …
15 boats – kayak and canoes – started from the Kaw Point boat ramp at the confluence of Missouri and Kansas Rivers for 340 mile Missouri River Race at 8:00 on August 2, 2006. The racers experienced the excessive heat during the first day, and spectacular but violent thunderstorms during night which brought somewhat lower temperatures for the next paddling days. However, Friday and Saturday provided strong headwinds for tired paddlers.
10 teams completed the race by Sunday noon at Bishop’s Landing at St Charles after crossing the entire state of Missouri.
As expected, a veteran Texas marathon racer, West Hansen, won the race finishing at 1:40 pm on Friday after almost 54 hour of lonely nonstop (if you don’t count a 30 minute nap) run.
Next 4 paddlers – one mixed tandem followed by 3 solos – arrived next day afternoon between 12:20 and 21:00.
The third group of paddlers was finishing at St Charles on Sunday between 9:20 and 12:32.
5 teams dropped out of the race. However, two solos stayed in the race for the long time making 269 and 237 miles. So, number of finishers in this long race looks pretty good. However, with more of adverse weather conditions, it is likely that a half of teams would have troubles to complete the race before Sunday noon or 100 hour deadline.
The race was great, organization excellent. Special thanks to Scott Mansker and Russ Payzant, the main organizers, who were also providing assistance with The Lonestar and Kaw Warior during the race and to all other organizers and volunteers behind the scene of the Missouri River 340.
I was shooting pictures with Pentax Optio W10 camera during my 78+ hours on the river. Connie, who followed me by land, also was shooting pictures (posted here). So, I will be posting more pictures from the race and more writing about my experience.
The race results:
| overall | name | City | Division | Time | boat | comments |
| 1st | West Hansen | Austin, TX | Men’s Solo (1st) |
53:40 | Devo Spencer X-treme One | record: men’s solo |
| 2nd | Chuck McHenry Diane McHenry |
Ironton, MO Ironton, MO |
Mixed Tandem (1st) |
76:20 | Findeisen tandem kayak | record: mixed tandem |
| 3rd | Bryan Hopkins | Columbia, MO | Men’s Solo (2nd) |
78:29 | 16′ CLC kayak | |
| 4th | Marek Uliasz | Ft. Collins, CO | Men’s Solo (3rd) |
78:32 | Spencer X-treme | |
| 5th | Brian Smith | Pflugerville, TX | Men’s Solo (4th) |
85:00 | kayak | |
| 6th | Dawn Keller | Outer Banks, NC | Women’s Solo (1st) |
97:20 | Seda Glider kayak | record: women’s solo |
| 7th | Ben Morgan | Rustburg, Va | Men’s Solo (5th) |
97:20:20 | 17″ Perception kayak | |
| 8th | John Munger Travis Worley |
Kansas City Kansas City |
Tandem (1st) |
97:20:40 | 17′ Old Town canoe | record: men’s tandem |
| 9th | Katie Pfefferkorn | Columbia, Mo | Women’s Solo (2nd) |
98:36 | 17′ Perception kayak | |
| 10th | Christina Glauner Edie Jackson |
Lawrence, KS Kansas City, MO |
Tandem (2nd) |
100:32 | Perception kayak | record: women’s tandem |
| DNF | Don Wilkison | Kansas City, MO | Men’s Solo | Withdrew at 269 miles |
tandem canoe | his dog refused to paddle |
| DNF | James Fawcett | St. Charles, MO | Men’s Solo | Withdrew at 237 miles |
solo canoe | |
| DNF | Lisa Swafford Scott Swafford |
Columbia, MO Columbia, MO |
Mixed Tandem | Withdrew at 74.5 miles |
17′ Old Town canoe | |
| DNF | A.W. Paris John Burkhead |
Blue Springs, MO Athens, AL |
Tandem | Withdrew at 30.5 miles |
17′ Old Town canoe | |
| DNF | David Greer | Springfield, MO | Men’s Solo | Withdrew at 6 miles |
13′ kayak |
