River Town Racers win 19 medals in Nationals

A six-person team from Petaluma collected 19 medals in the kayak National Sprint Championships.|

The River Town Racers kayak competition club, based in Petaluma, collected 19 medals with six paddlers in the National Sprint Championships last week in Oklahoma City.

Competition is in 200-, 500- and 1,000-meter and 5-kilometer courses in single-, double- and four-person boats.

The biggest medal-earner for River Town was Petri Alva of Rohnert Park, 14, who stood on the podium eight times over the four days of competition.

Jasper Caddell, 16, of Petaluma came home with five medals. Dylan Anacleto-Black, 15, of Penngrove and Kasen Taylor, 15 of Petaluma received two medals apiece and Zachary Alva, 20, of Rohnert Park and Philip Majumdar, 15, Petaluma each earned one.

In recognition of his performance at the championships, Caddell was invited to join the U.S. Olympic Hopes Regatta Team, which will travel to Poland this fall to compete with other young people from around the world. The honor is reserved for teenagers who show promise as sprint athletes.

Caddell and Anacleto-Black also raced long distance in the U.S. Marathon Team Trials, held in June in Newport Beach, finishing third and fifth overall, respectively.

They combined to win in doubles competition. In this event, paddlers race 14 miles, with the paddling portion of the race interrupted four times as they jump out and run a short distance carrying their boats. Their achievement earned the River Town duo spots on the U.S. National Team.

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