Organizers of the Missouri River 340, the world's longest non-stop paddler race from Kansas City, KS, to St. Charles, MO, have elected to cancel the ultramarathon race for 2011 due to a high likelihood the race course will be flooding at the scheduled date.
The race had registered over 340 boats for the 2011 event, which was to be the sixth annual run of the race. Near certainty of above flood stage river levels for most of the race course caused race organizer Scott Mansker to look for a new alternative. In order to give an option for racers who have been planning for months on the original July 19-22 dates, Mansker's organization, Rivermiles, elected to move the race to an alternative location, 150 miles of the Kansas River, from Manhattan, KS, to Kansas City, KS.
In a post on the Missouri River 340 race forum, Mansker explained the decision. "Back in 2005 when planning for the first race was underway, the original vision was for it to be held on the Kansas River. A much shorter race, but equally as grueling of an adventure because of the challenges of a sandy, braided river. The race was reconsidered for the Missouri because of some portages and other logistical issues. It all turned out well and we've had wonderful success with the MR340. But this year that door is closed, locked and under water."
"So, we've dusted off the notes from 2005 on how to put on an ultra marathon on the Kansas or "Kaw" River. That's where the race will be held this year, scheduled for the exact same time frame as the MR340, July 19th-22nd."
Details are still being developed on how the race, which will involve several portages around dams and obstructions, will be organized. For the latest, see the Rivermiles forum: http://rivermiles.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1307248919/all-0 Missouri River Relief, the charitable partner for the Missouri River 340 race, will help on the Kansas River race (as of yet unnamed) as portage shuttlers, safety boats and checkpoint volunteers.
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