ST. CHARLES, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Braving cold weather and headwinds along the way, 79 canoes and kayaks crossed the finish line in St. Charles, Mo., completing the first Missouri American Water Missouri River 340 (MR 340) Race to be held in the fall. The racers covered 340 miles across the state – celebrating the importance of the longest river in the U.S. to Missouri’s history, environmental diversity and as a source of drinking water to millions of people.
The winners are:
- Men’s tandem (and overall winners): Michael Vandeever and Andrew Condie, Cuero, TX. Time: 38 hrs and 12 minutes.
- Team boat: Tres Tandem team -- Team members Pappy and Yancy Scroggins are from Kansas City. Matt Green and Kevin Schwartz are from Jefferson City. Paddlers Phil Reed and Mitch Anderson are from Oakland, Iowa. Time: 39 hours and 24 minutes.
- Men’s solo: Glenn Phaup, Ashland, MO. Time: 43 hrs and six minutes
- Women’s tandem: Kate Pfefferkorn, Olathe, KS and Di McHenry from Ironton, MO. Time: 44 hours and 36 minutes.
- Mixed tandem: Mark and Brigitte Scott, from Springfield, MO. Time: 55 hrs and 49 minutes.
The race started at Kaw Point Park in Kansas City, Ks. and ended at the Lewis and Clark Boathouse and Nature Center in St. Charles, Mo. Both are milestones along Lewis and Clark’s journey through Missouri.
Missouri River Relief provided safety boats that accompanied the racers along their journey.
“This race helps to reconnect Missourians with our river,” said Missouri American Water President Frank Kartmann. “We congratulate the winners for their accomplishment and for reminding all of us of the importance of the Missouri River as an environmental and economic resource and the source of drinking water in many communities.”
Missouri American Water
Missouri American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.5 million people.
Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in more than 30 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
In 2011, American Water is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a yearlong campaign to promote water efficiency and the importance of protecting water from source to tap. To learn more, visit www.amwater125.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50048934&lang=en