Annual Missouri American Water MR340 supports river preservation
The world’s longest, nonstop canoe/kayak race returns to Missouri July 12-15, with roughly 650 paddlers entered to race in the Missouri American Water MR340 to support river preservation.
Paddlers will launch Tuesday from Kaw Point Park in Kansas City to begin the 17th Annual Missouri American Water Missouri River 340 (MR340) river race. Participants will paddle 340 miles across the state in this endurance race with the goal of crossing the finish line in St. Charles.
The Missouri American Water MR340 brings awareness to the importance of our rivers, which serve as a reliable source of drinking water for millions of Missourians. The MR340 race combines extreme sports and environmental stewardship.
Race proceeds benefit two environmental stewardship and education organizations: Missouri River Relief and the Lewis & Clark Boat House & Museum. The race includes solo and team kayaks, canoes, standup paddleboards, pedal drive boats and rowing craft, all human-powered. The race is nonstop, meaning participants may choose to paddle all day and night.
For links to more details on the race, please see rivermiles.com/mr340-resources/
To view a map of the race course, click here.
WHAT: Approximately 650 paddlers will race from Kansas City, KS to St. Charles, MO for 340 miles within 4 days
WHEN & WHERE
Kansas City Race Start
WHEN: Tuesday, July 12 from 7 a.m. (solo paddlers) to 8 a.m. (all other boats)
WHERE: The MR340 begins at Kaw Point Park, at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers, at 1 River City Drive in Kansas City, KS.
Jefferson City Checkpoint
WHEN: Wednesday, July 13, winners will likely arrive in the morning, with a steady traffic of racers during the day. Checkpoint closes Thursday at 4 p.m.
WHERE: Noren Access, on Cottonwood Street, just upstream of Highway 54/63 bridge.
St. Charles Finish Line
WHEN: Lead paddlers’ likely arrival times are early evening Wednesday, July 13 to early morning, Thursday, July 14. Racers will arrive continuously all day and night Thursday, July 14 through Friday, July 15. Race staff will be available for interviews or questions. See contact info below.
WHERE: Lewis & Clark Boat House & Museum, 1050 South Riverside Drive, St. Charles, MO 63301
Finish Line Party
WHEN: Friday, July 15 at 7 p.m. (music starts at 5:30 p.m.)
WHERE: Lewis & Clark Boat House & Museum. The overall winner will receive the race’s Governor’s Cup, presented by Scott Mansker, MR340 founder and race director, and Steve Schnarr, director of Missouri River Relief.
WHO: Racers, plus staff from Missouri River Relief, Rivermiles, Missouri American Water, Lewis & Clark Nature Center and Boat House are available to tell their race stories and share their commitment to preserving the Missouri River—the water source for nearly half of the state. Race staff will be onsite at the Race Finish from Wed – Friday available for interviews and questions.
Missouri River Relief – www.riverrelief.org
Missouri River Relief is a grassroots, volunteer and equipment-based organization dedicated to connecting people to the Missouri River through river clean-ups, education programs and recreation. Since its founding, the organization has grown each year. To date, MRR has hosted 203 Missouri River clean-ups, bringing 29,799 volunteers to clean 1,013 tons of trash from 1,560 miles of the river. Missouri River Relief has participated in and hosted clean-ups in six states, from the Mississippi River to Yankton, S.D.
Rivermiles – www.rivermiles.com
Rivermiles has been promoting Missouri River awareness since 2006 with the inaugural running of the Missouri River 340. Rivermiles believes that the best way to protect our river resources is through participation, inviting paddlers and their families to experience the rivers through the adventure of canoe racing. These events create lifelong fans and stewards of the rivers and link the communities in the watershed in ways they’ve never considered. The MR340 is known internationally as the world’s longest non-stop river race and has attracted paddlers from Japan, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Missouri American Water – www.missouriamwater.com
Missouri American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.missouriamwater.com and follow Missouri American Water on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
American Water – www.amwater.com
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and regulated-like drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people in 24 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and diversityataw.com. Follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn
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