Dispatch #3 [2025]
June 17, 2025
Hello Racers!
This is the third Dispatch for the race, and there will be several more coming as we burn through the last few weeks before the race!. All racers are responsible for reading each dispatch and sharing the info with your Ground Crew. You can find all Dispatches as they post HERE. Read the previous ones again!
We love the buzz on the Facebook group. Keep those great questions coming! Thank you to all you veterans who so generously share your knowledge and tips.
Keep that training up, but prepare for that final taper the week before the race. More on that in the next Dispatch.
Here's what we are covering in this Dispatch -
- RaceOwl Online Training this Thursday! And more RaceOwl Resources.
- Race Check-In
- Race Start and Race Parking
- Review the Race Course Resources...get your mind right!
- New Merch for a few more Days!
Check Your Racer Info
In the Email Dispatch we sent you (from "Missouri River Relief" - steve@riverrelief.org on June 17, 2025) was a rundown of your racer info. Find that email and double-check your data!
Please review and email racing@riverrelief.org with any updates. Have you changed your boat or ground crew since you registered? Let us know the updates.
Have your Plans Changed?
Please let us know if you are no longer able to participate or if you have decided to switch divisions.
ALSO – please check the Race Roster to make sure the info we have posted there is correct. Jump to your division and search for your name.
Mandatory Waiver
Waivers this year are being handled online via Smartwaiver.com. Here’s the link - https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/v/2025mr340. There is no need to print and bring these waivers this year. At Race Check-In, Monday, July 7, we’ll be making sure your waiver is on file…If not you’ll be signing one there. It is a huge time savings if you can just do this simple online waiver.
RaceOwl Race Tracking
One of the keys to our safety plan is Race Tracking, and the RaceOwl App is the key. RaceOwl also has some awesome tools for Ground Crews and Spectators to follow along.
RaceOwl Tutorials - Starting Thursday!
RaceOwl developer Jon Marble has scheduled two webinars to walk through the system and make sure you are ready to go for the race. Click the link to Register on Zoom. The webinars will also be streaming live on Missouri River Relief’s YouTube Channel and the recordings will be posted there after the webinar.
- Session #1 - Thursday, June 19, 7pm - "RaceOwl App Training Session & Q&A" - This webinar is focused on the racer perspective, walking you through using the RaceOwl Racer app to auto-track, check-in and out, use the navigation feature and connect your personal spot-tracking device.
Register on Zoom. - Session #2 - Tuesday, July 1, 7pm - "RaceOwl for Ground Crews" - This webinar is focused on the Ground Crew perspective, using the RaceOwl App and website to track your paddlers. Register on Zoom.
RaceOwl Basics
Everything you need to know about RaceOwl is on our website here. But here’ s the basics –
- RaceOwl Race Tracking System includes two apps and a website. The RaceOwl Racer app is what racers need to use to track your progress in the race, auto-check-in and out of checkpoints and manually check-in if needed. It includes an optional Navigation add-on which is REALLY helpful, especially at night.
- The RaceOwl app is useful for Ground Crews and spectators to track racers, access the tracking map and to check racers in or out if needed.
- The website has the tracking map as well as more detailed racer data.
Your RaceOwl To-Do List
- Download the RaceOwl Racer App! On iOS. On Android. Try it out!
- In addition to watching those webinars, read our RaceOwl Tracking Resource page. There’s a bunch of links on that page for more details but this really walks you through how the system works.
- Make sure your Ground Crew also reads up on how to use RaceOwl…and let them know about the Ground Crew webinar!
- If you are planning on tracking using a Satellite Device (either Garmin InReach or SPOT Tracker), make sure to set this up with RaceOwl.
Everyone is required to attend the Race Check-In on Monday, July 7. It really helps if you’ve already downloaded the RaceOwl Racer App. You will do your first check-in there to make sure you understand how it works!
Mandatory Race Check-In and Boat Drop Off
Mandatory Race Check-in is at Kaw Point Park, Kansas City, KS Monday, July 7 from noon – 8 p.m.
You’ll need to run through all the stations in our Check-In process. It takes a little time! You can help speed up the process by:
- Completing your Online Waiver!
- Downloading the RaceOwl Racer App! On iOS. On Android.
Here's the stations during Race Check-In...you have to do all of them.
- Waiver Check and Check-In - this is a two-step process...a little different than before. We'll be checking for your online waiver, you'll have to sign it if you haven't. Then we're we check you into our online database.
- Racer Info Check - you'll do a final review of your data to make sure our Safety Team has the latest and most correct info.
- RaceOwl - You'll do your first check-in in RaceOwl to make sure you've got it down. You will already have tried this out, so come with your questions.
- T-Shirt & Safety Card Pickup - Last step is to get your Tshirt and Safety Card!
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you drop your boat off on Monday at Kaw Point Park. You’ll see a bunch of boats there already in the park closer to the boat ramp. It will be very difficult or even impossible to get your boat to the launch if you try to bring it the morning of the Race Start. We recommend that you NOT leave electronics or other very pricey items with your boat, but we do have volunteers and hired security all night Monday night and have never had issues.
Some of our race sponsors and a couple of nonprofit partners will also have booths at Race Check-in. These are businesses that love this race as much as you do! Check ‘em out and meet these fine folks.
Race Day Parking!!!!
…Is a mess. There’s not nearly enough parking at Kaw Point Park for everyone. When the parking lot fills at Kaw Point Park (often by 5:30), volunteers and sheriffs will shut off vehicle access to the park and turn you back around onto Fairfax Trafficway.
Check out our parking map with several nearby options. You’ll already be dropping off your boat at the Park on Monday. Many people find that the easiest thing Tuesday morning to do is to skip the frustrating attempt at parking at Kaw Point and just park at one of these outer lots (Lot 4 has the most room). Then you walk Riverfront Heritage Trail to the Park. Put your Ground Crew’s resupply wagon to its first task.
Review the Race Course –
It’s really helpful to review all of our website Resources. They are all important and helpful. But really helpful is to re-read the “Race Course” Resource (and make sure your Ground Crew reads it too!). Tons of important information and it helps you to get your mind set on the task ahead.
A really helpful read is the “What to Expect” section towards the end. It walks you through that first day of the race, some of what you’ll be facing and some of the decisions you’ll have to make.
One crucial decision….don’t sleep at Waverly!!!! If you beat the Reaper to Waverly, there’s a temptation to catch a few Zzzz’s before heading downstream. Resist that temptation and push on at least until Hill’s Island about 12 miles down from Waverly at mile 281. Our safety boat crew will be stationed there with a fire near a good spot to land. Pull your boat out of the water, collapse on the sand and you’ll be ready to go in a few hours when you wake up. No one that sleeps at Waverly makes the Glasgow checkpoint.
Also on the Race Course Resource is the list of food options at ramps (this is evolving as the race approaches), hazards and features to be aware of along the river and more information about available checkpoints, paddle stops and ramps.
Video Resources
There’s a ton of stuff on YouTube to checkout! Here’s a few –
“Navigating on the Missouri River” – knowing where the channel is – it’s crucial! This little video gives some good overview tips on reading and understanding the Missouri River – plus tips on river hazards you will encounter like buoys, barges and bears. Well, no one’s seen a bear yet.
“Ramp to Ramp” – this is from 2023…a little out of date but mostly relevant. Goes through nine of the ramps from the Google Earth perspective. A great exercise to add to watching this video is to look at each ramp via Google Maps Satellite View. Look at the ramp approach, which side of the river its on, look for hazards (some, like wing dikes, may be underwater in the aerial photo but not the day of the race).
MR340 Live Recorded Webinars - these were recorded in 2021 but are REALLY great resources for a bunch of important topics. Hosted by Chris Luedke.
340 Paddler – These batches of MR340 helper videos cover a TON of important topics! All created by MR340 veteran Chris Luedke.
We’ll be posting our 2025 Safety Video next week. But you can check out last year’s video here.
Last Few Days for the Race Shop -
Check out the new Merch!
We've got some great new designs in the our online shop! 100% of the proceeds benefit our nonprofit organization, Missouri River Relief. Shipping is $2.50 for light bundles and $5 per order for everything else.
We'll be shutting down the Online Shop one week before the race. Then you'll just have to wait until we see you at Race Check-In!
Can’t wait to meet all of you!
Please don't hesitate to reach out to our Race Staff with any of your questions!
Steve Schnarr
Race Director – Missouri River Relief
racing@riverrelief.org
573-289-2077
Special thank you to Missouri American Water, our title sponsor. These are the folks that transform Missouri River water into drinking water for St. Louis & St. Charles County and Jefferson City. They are also crucial partners at the Finish Line, creating a safe place for you to land and for all of us to celebrate your accomplishment.
And a huge shout out to our "River Captain" Sponsor Rocca AudioVisual. They have a deep connection to the Missouri River and to this race. We are so grateful for their support.
