Missouri 340: Go!

These are two of the more than 90 racers (~ 70 boats) entered in the 2007 MR340. SOS plans to pretend to be slower than SandyBottom until the final mile and then sprint to win. SandyBottom is planning to fake out SOS by waking up two hours earlier than SOS and paddle away at o'dark thirty on the last day. Ha ha ha ha.

The race across the state: from section 8 to section 1. Detailed maps here.

Ready, Set, Go! As 8am approached Tuesday, SandyBottom and SOS paddled across the river to a sand bar and toed the line with other members of Team Kruger, including ManitouCruiser and RiverJohn. The Kansas City Star published this photo of some of the racers at the start...

As KiwiBird and SpiritWalker pointed out, the two boats in the upper left corner seem to be Kruger Canoes --possibly the left-most is SOS and the second from left could be SandyBottom. In any case photos and video published by the Kansas City Star provided us another view of the start.

Here is another view of the start (via Google Earth) published on the RiverMiles--MR340 website:

Can we borrow the word "peloton"? Apparently the labeling of the relative positions of the paddlers is based on observations of the race managers. Not all the paddlers are identified by labels.






You can follow all the details of the racers progress at the RiverMiles--MR340 website. Maps and times are posted providing racer-specific details.

Meanwhile..... 340 miles to the east, downstream, in the finish line waits.

(Gigantic flag courtesy of Google Earth.)

Arg.....