This is a followup to the report on the Missouri River 340, an annual human-powered paddlesport event which goes from Kaw Point in Kansas City the width of Missouri to the finish line in St. Charles. More background about the race can be found in yesterday’s post.

The team Easy Living, with paddlers West Hansen, of Austin, Texas, and David Kelly, of San Rafael, Calif.,
finished at 8:48 p.m. Wednesday, August 26 to win the men’s tandem division of the race and the first-place award of $600.
This finish is a men’s tandem division record, at 36 hours and 48 minutes.

Los Humangos Paddleos (Wally Wederich, of Yorkville Ill., and Nick Josefik, of St. Joseph, Ill.) finished second, at 9:02 p.m., with Beauties and Barnacles, the dragon boat, finishing in third at 10:05 p.m. with a time of 38 hours and 5 seconds. This boat was paddled by 19 individuals plus one steersman, and was the only entry in the voyageur class.

According to reports from rivermiles.com, a website which tracks the race in real time, solo paddler honors went to Santo Albright at 38:44 for mens and Robin Benincasa for womens. Traveler has not yet been able to determine the women’s tandem winner…reports from St. Charles landing were somewhat delayed due to heavy fog this morning.

The Columbia Missourian talked with the fellow knocked out of the race by silver carp. Interesting account. Traveler’s friend Steve Kaub made it to Jeff City on Wednesday, rested a while then set out around 11:30 towards Hermann and got there about 9am Thursday. He then set out again for Klondike on the way to St. Charles. This is 11-12 hours to St. Charles. He has been going constantly since 5 a.m. on Wednesday, and expects to make the finish sometime Thursday evening, according to part of his ground crew, whom he contacts by cell phone. While being first has it privileges, finishing at all is a major accomplishment, and it takes persistence not to throw in the towel. The race is not always to the swift…

Update: 8/26/10 at 10:30 p.m.: Steve Kaub safely in St. Charles at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, with an official time of 58:34. Other Division finishers include: Women’s Tandem: Loreen Mattson and Teresa Dewitt, on Thursday at a time of 49:17; Mixed Tandem: Chuck and Di McHenry (Ironton, MO) at 41:26. Team Paddlers: Moore X3 at 51:53. The Pedal Boat Solo did not finish, nor did the Pedal Boat Team division.