River Race World Record Shattered in Dragon Boat

This week, Patch introduces you to Joseph Ringling, a Chesterfield resident and member of the Beauties and Barnacles Racing Team, which recently set the world record for longest distance traveled by dragon boat.

Chesterfield resident and former Cub Scout den leader Joseph Ringling now describes himself as a canoe and kayak racer.

His first race was the inaugural Race for the Rivers in 2004. Since then, he has raced extensively, including in previous years of the Missouri River 340 Race.

The Missouri River 340 Race is 340 miles or 88 hours—whichever comes first—from Kansas City to St. Charles. It's the longest non-stop river race in the world, emphasis on "non-stop."

"There's longer ones, but they make you stop and rest at night," Ringling said.

The race is designed for canoes or kayaks...or apparently, in Ringling's case, dragon boats.

Why, in a race meant for canoes and kayaks, did Ringling's team, Beauties and Barnacles, choose a dragon?

"It had never been done before," Ringling said. "A dragon boat is typically used for sprint races, so we figured we could break the world record for the longest journey in a dragon."

Ringling was the self-described "quiet facilitator," working in the background to pull every aspect of the team together and execute necessary preparations, including building of the dragon boat—with help from the Carpenter's Training Institute—from the ground up.

"The team called me the 'man behind the curtain,'" he said.

The dragon boat had many modified features, including wider seats to make it more comfortable and custom-built paddles and trailer.

The journey was 340 miles of intense paddling down the Missouri River. The previous record for distance traveled by a dragon boat was 82 miles. The Beauties and Barnacles team finished third in a field of more than 300, crossing the finish line in 38 hours and 5 minutes.

"To complete the race in 50 hours is amazing," Ringling said, "but to do it in 38 hours..." and his voice trails off, almost as if he doesn't believe it himself.

The B&B team also broke the Guinness World Record for the longest distance covered in a dragon boat in 24 hours, albeit unofficially.

"The old record was 105 miles in 24 hours, "Ringling said, "and we did 120 miles. It couldn't be authenticated though, so we're training to break it officially, probably on Lake of the Ozarks."

The Missouri River 340 Race is all for a good cause. Beauties and Barnacles had the support of many corporate sponsors, with much of the proceeds going to Shriners Hospital for Children.

"We'll continue to raise money for Shriners for the foreseeable future...probably forever," Ringling said.

The team is already planning next year's race, and they are promising a new surprise."

"We'll be racing next year in a new boat," Ringling said, "but I can't tell you about it. It's top secret. We have competitors, you know."

Each notable neighbor is asked a series of unrelated questions to offer us some insight into what makes them who they are.

What's your favorite movie of all time? "My Name is Nobody," by Sergio Leone.

What movie have you seen most recently? "Case 39." It's a scary one...Halloween. With Renée Zellweger.

What type of shoes do you wear most often? Merrell's. Kick on clogs.

Is your life a Fox Trot? Tango? Twist? Hip Hop? Freestyle? Freestyle

Where have you traveled abroad? Yes. All over the world. Brazil...Egypt...everywhere.

What's your favorite food? Greek

If you were shipwrecked on a desert island, what single thing would you most want with you? A 45-foot sailboat.

What time did you go to bed last night? It was about 11 p.m.

What do you use a computer for? Research, news, occasional video games.

If you could have a conversation with anyone in the world, living or dead, who would it be? Sir Robin Knox-Johnson. First to said around the world non-stop...alone.

What is your favorite TV show? Hmm. I don't watch much. Hawaii 5-0. The new one. That's pretty good.

What did you have for breakfast this morning? Granola and a cup of coffee.

Would you say you are handsome? pretty? cute? hunka-hunka burnin' love? Hunka-hunka burnin love.

If you were a superhero, which one would you be? Spiderman

What kind of music do you listen to? All kinds. I really enjoy classical, with a push towards classical film scores.

Who was your role model for life? My mother.

Are you Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck? Daffy Duck.

Would you describe yourself as quiet, outgoing, gregarious, pleasant, or grouchy? Outgoing.

What's the thread count of your sheets? Oh...boy...it's pretty high now...over a hundred. I don't know the standards.

What's your favorite book? "The Long Way" by Bernard Moitessier.

Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter? Lord of the Rings.

What is your favorite kitchen utensil, tool, or machine? One of those little expandable things...ah...just say a cheese slicer.

Are you on Facebook? Yes

Do you Tweet? No

Each person Patch interviews for this column is asked to say a word, which then becomes part of a continuous thread. We'll attempt to make sentences with these.

Say any word that pops into your mind...NOW. Indian Food...wait, that's two words.

The thread so far...

"Surprise soccer Indian..."