Several Missouri American Water Missouri River 340 participants stopped off Thursday afternoon at Chamois to resupply before heading downstream toward St. Charles in the 15th annual canoe and kayak paddling race, which began Tuesday from the confluence of the Kansas (“Kaw”) River and Missouri River in Kansas City, Kan., and ended Friday in St. Charles, Mo. The race is sponsored by Missouri American Water and benefits Missouri River Relief’s efforts. River Relief’s Kevin Toise helps steady a paddler’s kayak as he lands. The Walter J. Birmingham safety boat, owned by the race organizers and operated by volunteers connected to the event, lands on shore. Safety boats patrol the length of the 340-mile course throughout the event to help participants in case of an emergency. The Birmingham is named after the late Chamois paddler and kayak builder Walt Birmingham who was race participant and then safety boat crew member. The Osage County Sheriff’s Department also had its boat on patrol in the area on Thursday. Chamois is considered a "paddle stop” during the event. Hermann is a checkpoint where racers, or their support crew, must log in through an electronic app for race officials to track their progress down the river. Participants had 85 hours to complete the event which runs non-stop day and night.