Bothell’s Cascade Racing Team strikes gold and more at nationals

Five Cascade Canoe and Kayak Racing Team members brought gold, silver and bronze medals home to Bothell from the U.S. National Sprint Championships held Aug. 2-4 in Oklahoma City.

Ashby Bodine, 15, won five gold, one silver and two bronze and Ryan Wurtz, 14, won three gold, one silver and three bronze medals in junior men’s kayak.

In junior women’s canoe, Andreea Ghizila, 17, won seven gold, one silver and one bronze and her senior teammate Lia Gaetano, 30, won two gold, one silver and one bronze.

Among master kayakers over 65, Joanna Crocker brought home three bronze medals.

Races were 200 meters, 500 meters, 1,000 meters and 5,000 meters, and canoes and kayaks are one, two and four-person boats.

Cascade — which trains at the Blue Heron Marina in Bothell — finished ninth in the team standings.