8/6/2007
Texas paddlers win Missouri River 340 again
The number of participants increased five-fold in the second year of
the world's longest nonstop water race.
ST.
CHARLES, Mo.-A Texan who won the men's solo division of the 2006 Missouri
River 340 came in first again this year, but this time with a partner.
West Hansen, 45, of Austin, Texas, teamed up with Richard Steppe, 49, of
Dallas, Texas, to take first place in the men's tandem division. Their time
for the 340-mile ultra-marathon was 44 hours, 27 minutes. They averaged 7.6
mph.
Next to cross the finish line was Dave Anderson, 44, of Seattle, Wash., with
a time of 46 hours, 21 minutes, making him the winner in the men's solo
division. First place in the women's solo division went to Erin Magee, 44,
of Matrindale, Texas, with a time of 55 hours, 33 minutes.
Katie Pfefferkorn of Columbia finished second in the women's solo, with a
time of 58 hours, 57 minutes. Pfefferkorn, 22, is a relative newcomer to
endurance paddling races. Missouri River 340 organizer Scott Mansker said
her performance was remarkable.
"Hers is quite an amazing story in its own right," said Mansker. "Erin Magee
is probably the top female endurance paddler in the country. Katie is an
unknown. But Katie actually had the lead at one point in the second half of
the race. This doesn't happen to Erin Magee. It was an impressive effort
from Katie. She has put herself on the map with that time."
Only one team each finished in the women's and mixed tandem divisions. The
winning teams were Di McHenry, 51, Ironton, and Natalie Courson, 31, St.
Peters, in the women's tandem with a time of 61 hours, 9 minutes, and Lisa
Swafford, 46, and Scott Swafford, 45, Columbia, in the mixed tandem with a
time of 81 hours, 28 minutes.
All but the mixed tandem team broke records set in last year's race.
Seventy-six canoes and kayaks started this year, compared to 15 in 2006.
Sixty-one finished this year's event within the maximum allowed time of 100
hours. All official finishers received medals.
Contestants braved heat and humidity, biting insects, flying carp, swollen
joints, muscle cramps, sunburn, blistered hands and sleep deprivation in the
ultra-marathon race. The longest nonstop paddling race in the world, the
Missouri River 340 attracts elite competitors from all over the United
States and Canada.
This year's event was marred by one mishap. Paddling in heavy fog before
daylight on the third day of the race, the lead mixed tandem team of Ann
Grove, 66, and Wayne Kocher, 69 of Benicia, Calif., collided with a barge
that was headed upriver. Neither contestant was hurt. Their kayak was
destroyed, however, preventing them from completing the race. Up to that
point, they had a 10-hour lead on the nearest mixed tandem team.
For more information about the Missouri River 340, visit www.rivermiles.com/mr340/.
