In June of 2020, the world was on pause. Schools were shut down, plans were canceled, and for one adventurous sixth grader, even Girl Scout camp, a long-awaited week of hiking, swimming, and sleeping under the stars, had vanished from the calendar.
But not everything was lost. One camp, a small local kayaking day camp on the Potomac feeder canal, was still on. A friend of Lucy’s was planning to attend, but there was one hitch: the camp was full, and Coach Tyler Westfall wasn’t admitting any more participants. That is, until the friend stepped up. Not wanting to be the only girl there, she made a case for one more spot. Coach Tyler agreed, and just like that, a future slalom paddler slipped into the sport through a very lucky side door.
What started as a backup summer plan quickly became something more. The water, the challenge, the rhythm of moving with current and course all clicked. And as she grew into the sport, Lucy brought her full self to the river, blending grit with glitter in the most literal way.
Fast forward to her first European Cup tour in 2022. In a sea of serious faces and focused pre-race rituals, she pulled out a glittery eyeshadow palette and dabbed sparkles across her cheeks. “Glitter freckles,” she called them, and she asked her friends if they wanted to wear some too. After that, it was Oklahoma City for Nationals, and Lucy’s glitter palette was a hit. Soon, teammates were lining up. When the Olympic paddlers wanted to wear glitter on their cheeks too, she knew something special was catching on.
From the Potomac to Prague, Oklahoma City to Krakow, the glitter palette became a staple of race day, a symbol of joy, unity, and a reminder that sport is about execution and expression. Even her newest slalom kayak gleams with flowers and glitter dots, matching the palette that’s now been across the Atlantic and back more than once.
Commentators and fellow competitors have taken notice. “I must say Lucy Crino’s boat is my favorite on the water today,” one commentator said. “That sunshine is bringing energy to the American team.”
This summer, Lucy and the U.S. Team were decked out once again, glittered and grinning as they took on the Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Cup. Because sometimes, chasing gates and chasing dreams go best with a little shimmer.
Thank you to Colleen Crino for sharing Lucy’s journey in “Glitter Freckles and Gate Poles: How One Paddler Sparkled Her Way Into Canoe Slalom” as part of the ACA Story Project. And a heartfelt thank you to Lucy Crino for bringing so much joy, spirit, and sparkle—literally and figuratively—to the sport of canoe slalom and the U.S. team. Your creativity, courage, and glitter freckles are an inspiration to paddlers everywhere!
About the Author
This story was written by Colleen Crino, proud paddling parent and storyteller for the ACA Story Project. Her daughter, Lucy Crino, has been an ACA Competition Member since 2020 and races C1, K1, and kayak cross as a member of the Potomac Whitewater Racing Club. Lucy has been a member of the Junior U.S. Canoe Slalom National Team since 2023 and brings both grit and glitter to every gate she chases.
