KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the 18th time, hundreds of boats and paddlers will race along the Missouri River between Kansas City and St. Louis next week in the Missouri American Water MR 340 river race.
For 2023, event organizers expect more than 400 boats and as many as 850 paddlers to start the 340-mile journey at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 1 from Kaw Point Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
Organizers describe the event as the world’s “longest non-stop river race.”
After the start, racers will float by downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and the western part of the state before arriving at a check point in Jefferson City. Organizers say lead paddlers could reach the Jefferson City check point as early as Wednesday morning, Aug. 2.
From Jefferson City, paddlers will continue east along the river to the finish line at the Lewis and Clark Boathouse and Museum in St. Charles, Missouri. Lead paddlers are expected to arrive as early as Wednesday evening, Aug. 2, with the majority of the field arriving on Thursday, Aug. 3 and Friday, Aug. 4.
The top three finishers in each category will be recognized in an awards ceremony at 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 4, also from the Lewis and Clark Boathouse in St. Charles.
The fastest women’s solo paddler to complete the trip was Robyn Benincasa, who completed the 340-mile trip in 38 hours, 41 minutes in 2018.
LINK |.Complete MR340 records
That year also produced the fastest time for a men’s solo paddler, as Joe Mann completed the journey in 36 hours, 39 minutes.
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