Correction appended

In what will be its third year, Missouri River 340 organizers and participants are forecasting an expanded 2008 race with more competitors, greater fan interest and even tougher competition.

"It’s one of the premier races out there," two-time Missouri River 340 champion West Hansen of Austin, Texas, said. "I think it’s just going to get better and better."

Hansen, 45, won last year competing in the men’s solo division and repeated this year in the men’s tandem division with friend Richard Steppe, 49, of Dallas in 44 hours and 27 minutes.

Their time was one of four records set in the five competing divisions.

After having a 76-boat field this year, Race Director Scott Mansker said, next year’s competition might have 100 in the field. "I don’t want to add a lot and then have chaos," Mansker said.

He also is working to find an improved solution regarding racers and barges. In this year’s race, the mixed tandem team of Wayne Kocher, 70, and Ann Grove, 66, of Benicia, Calif., lost their kayak to a barge about 265 miles into the race. Kocher and Grove were in fourth place overall and collided with the barge and wound up underneath it. They swam to a side of the vessel to reach safety.

"The reality is, we came out and we’re missing a boat and lots of stuff, but that’s replaceable," Grove said yesterday. "I suspect that we have some work that has been undone that we will have to come back to and finish."

Preliminary solutions have been discussed, Mansker said, such as deploying escorts in boats 500 yards in front of the barges who could tell paddlers what to do when they approach a barge. Previously, racers were told to stay near the shore when approaching a barge. Grove offered that same advice to future racers yesterday.

Other than the barge accident, Mansker said, everything went great.

Though no date has been set for next year’s race, Mansker said, he’s already getting e-mails and phone calls from paddlers looking to set their 2008 schedules. "It’s all of a sudden a race that racers from all over the country are interested in," Mansker said.

Hansen said the AuSable Canoe River Marathon, which took place July 28-29 this year, could restrict some of the world’s top paddlers from racing in the Missouri River 340. The AuSable, a 120-mile race from Grayling, Mich., to Oscoda, Mich., gives away more than $50,000 in prizes. The Missouri River 340 offers trophies and medals.

Bryan Hopkins of Columbia, who placed second in the men’s solo division last year and fifth this year, said he expects an even tougher field in 2008. "Some of the best, elite ultra-marathon paddlers in North America were at this event," Hopkins, 42, said. "There are some hints that we’ll get a few more of those who are icons in the field."

Jeff Barrow of Columbia, who finished in 96 hours, 53 minutes, said more residents in the river towns are supporting the racers.

"They were just overwhelmingly supportive and giving," the 51-year-old writer said. He said he turned down water, food, showers and offers to sleep in people’s guest rooms.

Six of seven area competitors finished the Missouri River 340. Hopkins was the top finisher in 58:57. Will Lamm of Columbia withdrew from the race before the third of eight checkpoints.

In Glasgow, the race’s fourth checkpoint, Cub Scout Troop 64 sold Gatorade, pop, coffee and granola bars to competitors for a 24-hour stretch starting at 9 p.m. on July 24. Tom Bentley, 63, and his grandson Kyler, 10, stayed awake the entire 24 hours. Tom Bentley said the troop came out about even with their sales.

Cooper’s Landing, the 340’s fifth checkpoint, increased its sales nearly six-fold on July 25, going from $100 in receipts to around $600, owner Mike Cooper said. The marina south of Columbia sold about 20 $2 showers and several $2 laundry washes and dries. Cooper said in a typical week, he would sell about five showers and two wash-and-dry services.

"The fact that they can come in here and get food, take a shower, do some laundry," Cooper said. "It’s the only place on the whole course of the race where they had access to all the services we provide."

Two local competitors were missing from a story yesterday about the Missouri River 340 boating race from Kansas City to St. Charles. Nicki Eatinger of Columbia finished the 340-mile race in 96 hours, 23 minutes. She placed sixth in the women’s solo division. Peter Jackson of Columbia finished in 72 hours, 31 minutes for 17th place in the men’s solo division.

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