Blind racer competes in 340-mile Missouri River kayak race: ‘Breaking barriers’
For the third year in a row, 20-year-old Isaac McBurney of Lee’s Summit completed the Missouri River 340 kayak race last week alongside 37-year-old marathon partner Jake McLaughlin.
But McBurney is not the typical competitor.
Unlike his fellow paddlers, McBurney completed the race without the benefit of eyesight. Blind since birth, McBurney took to the waters last Tuesday to embark on the four day journey once again.
The MR340, which kicked off July 8, is a 340-mile long kayak and canoe race from Kansas City, Kansas to St. Charles, Missouri. Aside from the Yukon 1000, it’s considered the longest kayak and canoe marathon in the world, in which paddlers must travel along the Missouri River for four continuous days.
But for McBurney, the race is not even the biggest challenge he’s faced in life.
Meet Isaac McBurney
McBurney, a triplet, was born breaking records.
Born at 26 weeks, McBurney and his fraternal brothers, Alex and Sullivan, hold the Guinness World Record for the longest interval between the birth of triplets.
“My older brother (Alex) is about 18 days older than I am and my younger brother (Sullivan) is about half an hour younger than I am,” said McBurney.
With older brother Alex born on Sept. 20, 2004, and McBurney and younger brother Sullivan born on Oct. 8, 2004, the triplets were born 17 days, 18 hours and 55 minutes apart.
However, middle child Isaac was born with retinopathy of prematurity.
Retinopathy of prematurity is an eye disease that impacts premature babies and occurs when there is abnormal growth of the blood vessels in the retina.
“I was born at 26 weeks and my eyes didn’t fully develop,” said McBurney. “I still have some usable vision, so on the river, it’s just a bunch of greens and blues and Jake is describing what’s happening.”
Coworkers to marathon partners
At the age of 10, McBurney started to attend the Alphapointe Adventure Camp. Alphapointe, a nonprofit organization based in Kansas City, provides services and programs for visually impaired and blind individuals all over the nation.
That’s where McBurney linked up with his race partner, McLaughlin.
“‘Youth Program Manager’ was my previous title and Isaac was one of our youth participants,” said McLaughlin. “We met there and Isaac continued to come to adventure camp every year, and then tech camp. Eventually he did our STEP program, which is a student transition employment program, a first time job opportunity for youth and transition age services.”
After attending the STEP program, McBurney started working at the Alphapointe Connecting Pointe Store, where he and McLaughlin became friends and eventually marathon partners.
“Jake came to me a few years ago and was like, ‘Hey, do you want to go on a kayak race?’ Instantly I said yes, no hesitation,” said McBurney. “Ever since I joined the Alphapointe Team, I’ve been more involved doing stuff so this is just a nice continuation of being able to help blind and visually impaired people.”
After the third race for McBurney and McLaughlin came to an end Friday, the duo reflected on the improvements they’ve made and the obstacles they’ve overcame.
“Our first year was a little bit of a struggle,” said McBurney. “We had no idea what we were doing, but through the years, we’ve been able to figure it out. We have an amazing road crew and just so much support, so many modifications that we’ve made through our kayak to make it the best it can be.”
Their road crew, which consisted of McBurney’s father Scott McBurney and McLaughlin’s girlfriend Cherie Gallagher, set up camp each night and provided the team with snacks and water.
“The river is very unforgiving,” McLaughlin told the Star. “She doesn’t give you too many mistakes or do-overs. So we work together, communicate together. We take breaks when we need to, but we’re always trying to ride the current to make it as far as we can, and just be mindful. Enjoy the beautiful nature that’s out here. It’s the best office, I think, that either one of us could ever ask for.”
An inspiring message
Paddling for four days across dangerous waters is a task many would not take upon themselves. But McBurney hopes to be an inspiration for anyone in the blind community who doubts their ability to achieve success due to visual impairments.
“Alphapointe’s mission, we want people to get out there who might not feel that they are capable,” said McBurney.
“Blindness can be a really hard thing and something that a lot of people struggle with,” he said. “Getting out there and proving to other blind people that we are capable, I want to be that inspiration to people, then an inspiration to myself, showing that I can do things that I set my mind to.”
With nearly 2,000 competitors in the MR340, only about 400 make it to the finish line.
While every other team has fully sighted members, McBurney and McLaughlin don’t let that stop them from showing up and showing out.
“It’s breaking barriers and stereotypes,” McLaughlin told the Star. “For us to compete to finish where others have more advantages, it’s a statement within its own. Alphapointe’s been around since 1911 and we create programs for the visually impaired or blind so they can achieve their own goals and aspirations. But more so, to change the way the world sees blindness, not as a barrier, but as an advantage.”
This story was originally published July 14, 2025 at 3:14 PM.
