Missouri River 340, live.

340 miles down the Missouri

The MR340 is a 340 mile paddling race down the Missouri River from Kaw Point Park in Kansas City, Kansas, to the Lewis and Clark Boat House in St. Charles, Missouri.

The race is hosted by Missouri River Relief, a nonprofit that connects people to the river through stewardship and education. The primary 2027 dates are 20 to 23 July, with mandatory check-in at Kaw Point on 19 July. A secondary window from 17 to 20 August is held in case of flooding, and the organisers say the race could be postponed or cancelled if the river is unsafe.

Solo boats start at 7:00 on the Tuesday morning and all other divisions at 8:00, launching from the Kansas River at the confluence with the Missouri. The race runs day and night. Paddlers stop at ramps to rest and resupply, often met by a ground crew of family or friends driving alongside.

Five checkpoints have cut-off times: Waverly after 74 miles, then Glasgow, Jefferson City, Hermann and Klondike, before the finish at St. Charles closes at 9:00 pm on the Friday. The organisers advise efficient paddling over the first 74 miles, and by Glasgow most racers have enough time banked that the cut-offs no longer worry them. Expect wing dikes, bridge piers, barges and a river that can rise several feet in a day.

Registration is per person and opens on New Year's Day. The race suits paddlers ready for several days of continuous effort. For ground crews and spectators the checkpoint towns and boat ramps are where to meet the race, and racers, crews, family and friends are all invited to the Finish Line Party at the Lewis and Clark Boat House on the Friday evening.

On Livebib you can follow a paddler live if they choose to share their own position from the phone they carry. That position comes from the paddler, not from the organiser's timing or tracking system, and the official results are published by the organiser.