On Thursday, May 7, community members gathered at Yankton’s Riverside Park Amphitheater to meet the Missouri River Speed Record team and learn about their upcoming attempt to break the world record for the fastest paddle down the entire Missouri River.

Seven people stand behind a canoe on a stage

MNRR Superintendent, David Thomson, speaks during the introduction at the Missouri River Speed Record’s presentation.

The team is preparing to paddle 2,341 miles from Three Forks, Montana, to St. Louis, Missouri, in an effort to beat the current record of 33 days, 18 hours, and 45 minutes. To do that, they will need to paddle around the clock, navigating reservoirs, portages, changing weather, physical exhaustion, and the many logistical challenges of traveling the full length of the nation’s longest river.

During their presentation, the paddlers shared what inspired the attempt, how they have been preparing and customizing their canoe, what their support crew does to make the record attempt possible, and what it takes to plan an expedition of this scale. They discussed the importance of teamwork, communication, endurance, safety, nutrition, and river knowledge — all of which will be essential as they work toward completing the journey in record time.

A man stands behind a canoe on a stage, holding a microphone and a piece of equipment

Paddler Scott Duffus highlights the customizations on the team’s canoe, aptly nicknamed “The Mighty Duffus”

Following the presentation, attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the realities of long-distance paddling on the Missouri River. The Q&A highlighted just how much preparation goes into an attempt like this, from coordinating support crews and managing sleep schedules to understanding river conditions and making quick decisions on the water.

In the days after the event, the team continued their preparation with a training trip on Lake Francis Case and the Missouri River Water Trail (from Fort Randall Dam to Sioux City, IA). This stretch of the Missouri River offers an important opportunity for the paddlers to practice paddling on two large reservoirs and build experience on two free-flowing section of the river while continuing to test their equipment, systems, and teamwork ahead of the full record attempt.

For Friends of the Missouri National Recreational River, hosting the team was a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the Missouri River not only as a place of scenic beauty and ecological importance, but also as a place of adventure, challenge, and connection. Their story offers a powerful reminder of the scale and significance of the Missouri River and the dedication it takes to travel its full length.

We are grateful to the Missouri River Speed Record team for taking the time to share their journey with our community and for bringing attention to the nation’s longest river. We wish them the very best as they continue preparing for their world record attempt this summer.

The team plans to begin their full record attempt on June 23rd at the headwaters of the Missouri River on June 23rd.

To learn more about the Missouri River Speed Record,