Bellingham team paddles to third-place finish at Pacific Cup Championships

The Bellingham Canoe and Kayak Sprint Team placed third overall at the 17-team, 282-athlete Pacific Cup Championships on Sept. 10-11 at Whonnock Lake, British Columbia.

BCKST was especially impressive in the women’s U11 K-1 200-meter race, with Abby Scoggins, Mia Clarke, Paili Airth, Ellie Scoggins and Ava McFarland sweeping the top five places. Abby Scoggins had three other first-place finishes in the U12 K-1 200, K2 200 with Airth and the U13 K-2 200 with Hilary Greenwood. Scoggins and Greenwood also placed second in the U13 K-2 500.

Zach McGiverin and Chayse Gauthier had first-place finishes in the men’s K-1 200-meter U11 and U12 races, respectively, while Talia Clarke took third in U13 K-1 200.

Elena Wolgamot and Ana Swetish finished first and second, respectively, in both the U14 and U15 K-1 200-meter races, and they teamed up to win the U15 K-2 200 and 500 races. They joined teammates Sierra Noskoff and Emma McCoy for another first-place finish in the K-4 500 race.

BCKST K-4 boats also finished second in the Open U11 500, third in women’s U11 200 and third in U11 500.

The team also raced successfully in the canoe events, taking second in the women’s U11 C-4 200 (with Mia Clarke, Gabby Waltz, Ellie Scoggins and Sally Greenwood) and fourth in the U15 C-4 500 (with McCoy, Noskoff, Swetish and Wolgamot).

This story was originally published September 21, 2016 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Bellingham team paddles to third-place finish at Pacific Cup Championships."