2025 Race Results & Archive

20th annual mr340

July 8-11, 2025

Race Highlights -

542 paddlers from 36 states and 2 countries in 353 boats started the race. 272 boats finished. 81 boats did not finish (22.9% DNF). This year's race start included 239 first-time racers (44.7% of the field).

2025 RaceOwl Results
Official Race Photography by RainbowMarks Photography

TABLE of CONTENTS: Click these links to jump below:

2025 Race Recap
Media, News & Photo Links
Videos
Race Recaps on Facebook

2025 Race Recap

2025 Solo Start - photo copyright Chris Hammond, RainbowMarks Photography

2025 was the 20th Annual MR340. It has been a great time to look back at the development of this race, from 20 paddlers in 15 boats starting at Kaw Point on August 2, 2006, to the world-class race we love today. Check out Dean Klinkenberg's wonderful Oral History of that first race, "They Were Magnificent Humans: An Oral History of the First MR340" published in Terrain Magazine to get a feel for the ground-breaking adventurous spirit of those first MR340 paddlers.

There were several racers from that first race that participated in this year's 20th Annual, and we tip our paddle to their longevity, skill and tenacious spirit. Di McHenry (who completed her 18th MR340 this year), Marek Uliasz (his 14th start), Bryan Hopkins (his 9th start this year), and Christina Ruiz (Glauner - her 6th start) all dipped their paddles this year. Kate Mansker (Pfefferkorn) and Scott Swafford were in the first race and volunteered this year. Race Director and Founder Scott Mansker served on the safety boat team - he has been involved in every year of the race.

While that first batch of paddlers showed an adventurous spirit unique to that moment, the accomplishment they proved was possible is still represented in the grit of every racer that starts this race today.

Ominous storm clouds gathering at Kaw Point Park dissolved and we got both race starts off without a hitch. Forecasted storms throughout the race all but disappeared, leaving a steamy but beautiful week on the river. Fog during nights one and two slowed down many racers, but overall we experienced the ideal MR340 conditions.

The inspirational highlight of the race was the astonishing performance of MR340 Veteran Salli O'Donnell boat #1031 "10th Life 5353". Her flawless stroke, impeccable planning and ever-present smile inspired race followers both on and off the race course. #GoSalli was the hashtag of the week. She wrote MR340 history as the first female top solo finisher with a time of 39:42 beating her previous third-best Woman Solo record time, just 17 minutes shy of her personal best set last year.

Above, Clockwise: Salli O'Donnell at Kaw Point (photo by Steve Schnarr); Approaching Napoleon; Glasgow at Night; The Finish Line. (Photos by Chris Hammond, RainbowMarks Photography - rainbowmarks.com/mr340/2025 )

The Governor's Cup, given to the fastest time of the race, went to MR340 veterans John Radford & Matt Walters, boat #2908 "Pedal Maniacs" with a time of 39:25. John continued solo when Matt pulled out of the race at Chamois due to medical issues and actually increased his time margin of victory with a final crushing pedal on the last 90 miles of the race.

Our youngest paddler was 10 year-old Norah Cooper, paddling boat #2433 "Are We There Yet?" with her dad, Wes Cooper finishing with a time of 78:52. Our oldest finishing paddler was Roy Davis, who paddled mixed tandem with 31 year-old Brianna Langworthy in boat #2414 "Century", taking third place in their division with a time of 59:05.

The Dragonboat "Pan Am Express" achieved their goal of surpassing the Guinness World Record of longest distance paddled in a Dragonboat. They extended their 340 run to include several miles upstream on the Kaw and 25.5 miles downstream of the Finish Line totaling 370 miles (previous world record was 350). The record is currently under review.

Another awesome story was the "car-free MR340" completed by "Team 680", Tod Wilson and Andy Besselman. They biked their aluminum canoe on a trailer from their hometown Jefferson City to Kaw Point Park, paddled the whole race with their bikes aboard, then trailered their boat back to Jeff City by bike. AMAZING!

Hundreds of tireless, cheerful volunteers provided support to this epic race. Our deepest gratitude to all of you! We have the highest respect for the amazing Ground Crews that gave your racers all that they needed. Congratulations to all of you that finished this punishing but transformative race. You all earn our highest regards.

Media, News & Photo Links

A collection of articles, write-ups, photos, videos and more. If you know of content that is not included here, please email Steve Schnarr and let him know!

Categories - Click to jump to that section

Photos • Magazine Articles • Newspaper Articles • TV Coverage • Radio & Podcasts • Videos • Personal Race Recaps & Blogs

Photos

PHOTOS - Official Race Photography by Chris Hammond, RainbowMarks Photography. Individual images or packages available for purchase. Searchable by boat number. These are the best photos taken of you during the race!
PHOTOS - Missouri River Relief Flickr Album
PHOTOS - MR340 Finish Line Awards - photos by Reiss Wegman of River City Outdoors
PHOTOS - Gasconade County Republican, photos by Dave Marner

Magazine Articles

ARTICLE - "They Were Magnificent Humans: An Oral History of the First MR340" - by Dean Klinkenberg, Terrain Magazine. July 2025. First-person memories from the people that planned and participated in the first MR340 in 2006.
ARTICLE - "340 miles of grit and glory" - by Ricki Spargo, Rural Missouri Magazine, Jun 15, 2025.
ARTICLE - "Racing Against Themselves" - by Jodie Jackson, COMO Magazine, June 30, 2025.
ARTICLE - "What it's like to Crush the MR340" - by Nick Phillips, St. Louis Magazine, July 3, 2025. Interview with MR340 veteran Duddy LeCave.
ARTICLE - "The MR340 Wasn't Enough - So They Biked There & Back" - by Shawn Donnelly, Terrain Magazine, Aug. 18, 2025. About "Team 680", Tod Wilson and Andy Besselman who did the "car-less" MR340 this year.
ARTICLE - "Why a grueling, nonstop 340-mile race on the Missouri River has paddlers hooked" - by Nicholas Phillips, St. Louis Magazine, Sept. 25, 2025. Nick wanted to do a story about the MR340, and decided he had to DO the race to get it right.

Newspaper Articles

Midland Daily News, Michigan - "Paddling past limits - Jim Looker prepares for second run in world’s longest non-stop paddling race" - "Midlander paddles personal best in grueling 340-mile Missouri River race" - by Max Milne.
Hermann Advertiser-Courier - $$ "Paddler Layne Whitehouse Shatters Her Own Personal Best in MR340" - July 22, 2025.
Columbia Missourian - "The MR340: Nearly 600 paddlers will head down the Missouri on Tuesday in the world's longest river race" - July 6, 2025, by Jake Marszewski; "MR340 paddlers stop at Cooper's Landing on their way to the finish line in St. Charles" - July 9, 2025. Story by Abigail Didonna; Photos by Xiaoman An and Molly Fox. "MR340 wraps up with 272 boats crossing the finish line, six from Columbia" - by Jake Marszewski.
Topeka Capital-Journal - "'Let's not start small': John and Rene Imming compete in 340-mile river race" - by Liam Keating about boat #2428 "Sasquashed It".
Boone County Journal - "Row Hard or Row Home" - by Tara Wren Blue, July 15, 2025. About Ellen Samuels #1027 "Volley Frog" and Laurie Acison #1022 "The Magic School Bus".
Kansas City Star - "Blind racer competes in 340-mile Missouri River kayak race: ‘Breaking barriers’" - By Ramal Nasim, July 14, 2025 - about boat #2217 "Alphapointe" with Isaac McBurney and Jake McLaughlin.
Fall River County Herald Star - "Local man rows his way to a divisional win in non-stop, 340-mile river race" - by Brett Nachtigall, July 31, 2025 - about boat #1909 Jonathan Wiley.
Independance Bulletin Journal - "Jesup Youth Competes in Boat Race" - by John Klotzbach, Aug. 13, 2025 - about 10 year-old Norah Cooper and her dad Wes - boat #2433.

TV Coverage

TV VIDEO & ARTICLE - "Blind Kansas City kayaker beats the odds for race on Missouri River" - By Rilee Malloy, KCTV-5. June 20, 2025. About AlphaPoint's Isaac McBurney & Jake McLaughlin, Boat #2217.
KMBC TV Coverage - Race Start Video • "Grueling MR340 race down the Missouri River kicks off in Kansas City" • "MR340 kicks off from Kansas City's Kaw Point" • R ace Start Montage
FOX-4 KC TV Coverage - "MR340 river race begins with 600 racers in Kansas City"
KQ2 TV St. Joseph - "Local couple participates in eighth MR340 race" - boat #1003 - Stacey Rasco.
KOMU TV Coverage - "World's longest nonstop river race paddles through mid-Missouri"
KSHB TV Coverage - "Hundreds race down Missouri River in 20th annual MR340" & "'I'm blind, but capable': Blind racer tackles 340-Mile Missouri River Race for the third time"
KMIZ 17 TV Coverage - "Jefferson City checkpoint kicks off day two of the MR340 race"

Podcasts & Radio

PODCAST - "Inside the Grueling 340-mile Missouri River Boat Race" - "Show Me Today" by Bill Pollack, Missourinet. June 10, 2025
PODCAST - "Endurance, Suffering, Transformation - The MR340" - River Radius Podcast hosted by Sam Carter talking with Racer/Former Co-Race Director/Volunteer Kate Mansker and Race Director Steve Schnarr. You'll want to listen to more episodes of this amazing river-obsessed podcast.
PODCAST - Son of Law Podcast - two 2025 MR340-themed episodes: "The Rookies", about racer Stuart Ollinger - Feb. 10, 2025; "Mann, Myth, Legend", about veteran racer Joe Mann - April 21, 2025.
PODCAST - "Paddle Sports Lifestyle" - by racer Kim Peek. Several episodes following her journey from kayaking newbie to her first MR340 attempt. On Spotify. On Apple
PODCAST - "Finding joy, misery and hallucinations on a race down the Missouri River" - St. Louis On-the-Air (St. Louis Public Radio) conversation with St. Louis Magazine author and MR340 racer Nick Phillips and MR340 Race Director Steve Schnarr. On Spotify. On Apple. On YouTube (audio only)

official Dispatches

Dispatch #1 [2025]
Dispatch #2 [2025]
Dispatch #3 [2025]
Dispatch #4 [2025]
Dispatch #5 [2025]