Dispatch #4 [2025]

July 1, 2025

Hello Racers!

We are one week from the big day! One week from the day we step into this adventure together and slide onto the river. Thank you to all of you posting your questions on the Facebook group, and to all of you commenting and sharing your experiences so everyone can learn. Thanks to everyone who helped shuttle for someone's training experience, has given river access advice or lent a rudder repair kit. Thanks to everyone reaching out to me with your updated race info - your new divisions, change in boat color or new Ground Crew phone number.

Share this Dispatch with your Ground Crew.

In this Dispatch -

Here's what we cover in this Dispatch:

Your To Do List
Check your Info
Updates & Links Page
RaceOwl and Training for Ground Crews
Mandatory Safety Video
Race Check-In
River Levels and Weather
Race Start
Purchase Photo Package from RainbowMarks Photography
TRAINS!

We have a few things we need you to do this last week, and I have some more details to go over with all of you.

Your MR340 To Do List -

Watch the Safety Video - On your waiver you check that you have/will watch the Safety Video. It's the shortest in several years...just under 1/2 hour...but is dense with the info you NEED to know.
Sign your waiver. It's on SmartWaiver and it's super easy to do online. It will help make your process on Monday Race Check-In Day smoother.
Heat Training! Spend as much time out of AC as you can. Your body will thank you for it during the race. And consciously hydrate every day from now until the race.
Download the RaceOwl Racer App (purple icon). If you have a satellite tracker, get that set up in RaceOwl. Instructions here for InReach and here for SPOT. Here's where you enter your tracking info into RaceOwl.
Talk to your Ground Crew. Several Times! Let them ask their questions and help them find the answers.
- Talk through your race plan.
- Get them to download or update the RaceOwl App. And watch tonight's webinar designed for Ground Crews!
Read the previous Dispatches again, and click on some links you didn't last time! Review the Race Course information!
Get all your resupplies packed up and labeled for each ramp.
Double check all your gear!

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!

Check Your Racer Info

In the Email Dispatch we sent you (from "Missouri River Relief" - steve@riverrelief.org on July 1, 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.

2025 MR340 Updates & Links

We've posted a page with a collection of important links for easy access for you and your Ground Crew. Some great quick links to race course info and more. Including the updated list of Food at Ramps!

There's a button on the homepage of mr340.org that will take you there. Here's the direct link.

As updates happen during the race, we'll be posting them here.

RaceOwl Race Tracking

In the last Dispatch, we got deep into RaceOwl. Revisit that post!

But here's a few quick items and quick links -

Today, Tuesday, July 1, is a RaceOwl for Ground Crews training session hosted by Jon Marble at 7 p.m. Central. Click here to register on Zoom and for the details. After the webinar, it will post to the Missouri River Relief YouTube channel.
RACERS - A couple of weeks ago, Jon hosted a training session about RaceOwl Racer. If you have any questions about how to use RaceOwl Racer, take the time to watch this video.
Are you using a Garmin InReach or SPOT satellite tracker? Please add it to the RaceOwl database for auto-check-in and tracking.
1. Here's the directions for Garmin InReach.
2. Here's the directions for SPOT.
3. And here's the direct link for entering in your data.
Revisit our RaceOwl Resource page.

MR340 Safety Video

Here's the link to the 2025 MR340 Safety Video. You are required to watch this video before the race...and you will want to anyway! Crucial information.

Mandatory Race Check-In and Boat Drop Off

Mandatory Race Check-in is Monday, July 7 at Kaw Point Park, Kansas City, KS 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.

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.

Discuss your plan with your Ground Crew.

Watching the River Levels & Weather

Recent rains upstream and along the race course have boosted the Missouri River significantly. We've gotten used to lower river levels, with plenty of sandbars and exposed wing dikes. That has changed and the past few days have seen a higher river with substantial debris. The river has crested at most locations along the river or will crest soon. After the river crests, the debris settles out. What you see on the river this week is not what we'll see next week.

This link shows you the river gages along the MR340 Race Course. The blue line is the observed river level, or stage. The purple line is the forecast river level based on 24 hours of predicted precipitation. If you click any individual gage, a new page will open in a different format with an interactive graph for that gage and more information. That second page is best viewed in landscape mode on your phone.

For more detailed river forecasting information, see the Missouri River Relief Missouri River Level and Conditions Resource.

Things are looking good for the remainder of the week, with lots of time for the river to settle down. Rain chances increase over the weekend so we'll be keeping a close eye on developing weather and how it impacts the river. If any locations along the race course enter "Minor Flood Stage", we will be looking at postponing the race one or two days, or to the Secondary Race Date (August 5 – August 8). We see no reason to think that will happen, just reminding everyone of our backup plan.

Race week has multiple chances for storms, including Tuesday and Wednesday. We'll be keeping everyone updated on the situation through our Broadcast Text messages during the race.

The Race Start

The MR340 Race Start will be one of your race highlights - starting your adventure with hundreds of brave souls together paddling through downtown Kansas City will never be forgotten.

But getting to that point is a bit of a scramble! Get there as early as possible and get on the water as soon as you can. There will be a long frustrating line getting into the water. Look for alternate launching points. The Confluence Point is a good alternative.

If lightning is present in the area, we will postpone the race start in increments and will announce that over the PA system.

As Race Start approaches, paddle upstream on the Kaw. The Starting Point is an imaginary line perpendicular to the ramp. The start will be announced by our veteran DJ. 7:00 is for solos. 8:00 is for everyone else.

As you approach the Confluence of the Kaw and Missouri, leave room around you. Utilize the whole width of the mouth of the Kaw. As you hit the current of the Missouri, it will shift your boat to the right, so protecting that space around you will make the transition easier. Look out for your fellow paddlers. If you are not a competitive racer, let the faster boats take the lead. You'll settle into your pace once you get a few miles downstream.

KCMO and KCK Fire Dept. Swift Water Rescue Crews will be on hand to assist if you do get into trouble. If you tip over, keep your calm as you hold onto your boat and paddle. Keep yourself moving to the center of the river to give them a chance to assist you.

Just downstream of the Confluence on your right is a new dock built by Port KC. There will likely be barges tied up at or near the dock. Give them plenty of space. The current will generally be pushing you to the right so it takes intention. After you pass that port, you'll want to generally stick to the right as the river bends to the left. Avoid the barges moored in the middle of the river on your left. You'll want to pass through the first series of bridges on the right side of the river. Give the bridge piers LOTS of space! They often have driftwood piled up in front, creating turbulent water you want to avoid.

The first several dozen miles of the race will have several dredges and barges tied up waiting for the race to pass before they start working for the day. These companies have been amazing partners of this race and they want you to be safe! They also want you to give PLENTY of space around their tied up barges.

Don't give them a heart attack...paddle wide around tied up equipment. Further downstream you will encounter more barges that are working so pay attention. We'll release a Barge Report in a few days that will give more details on what to expect.

Official Race Photography by RainbowMarks Photography

At Race Start, throughout the race course and at the Finish Line, you'll see hardworking and talented photographer Chris Hammond capturing amazing shots of you and your teams at your best and worst. You can pre-purchase a package of photos before the race to make sure Chris is looking out for you.

Find out more, and browse his website to see photos from past races.

He'll have a table set up at Race Check-In at Kaw Point and he'll be at the finish. He's got an amazing website where you can purchase photos from the race afterwards as well.

TRAINS!

This is especially important for Ground Crews! But everyone needs to pay attention.

There are several river accesses where ground crews will cross railroad tracks to get to the river. And several of those have no railroad crossing gates.

Waverly is a major one of these unprotected crossings. There are two ramps at Waverly, one upstream of the bridge and the other downstream. Railroad tracks run right by both ramps and they are at the bottom of a steep hill. Ground crews and racers on foot need to take extra care crossing these tracks. Trains may not slow down passing in these small towns. Watch your children closely and stay off the tracks. Don't park next to the tracks!

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

MR340.org

2025 Dispatches

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 have already been hard at work getting the finish line ready for all of you.

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.

Please check out our full list of amazing Race Sponsors.