For full on-deck SwimmingWorld.TV coverage of the meet as it is available from Garrett McCaffrey, click here.
By David Rieder
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, May 16. THE final session of long course meters action featured more excellent races at the USA Swimming Grand Prix held in Charlotte, but the biggest race of all was for the $20,000 prize awarded to the swimmer who scored the most points at the meet.
In the end, Club Wolverine's Peter Vanderkaay won the $20,000 check by claiming the Wendy's Carolinas Classic, the name given to the points-based competition for the top 16 point earners at the meet. Trojan's Rebecca Soni finished second for $10,000, while Mission Viejo's Chloe Sutton took third overall for $7,500.
The results of the Wendy's Carolinas Classic has no bearing on the points tally for the USA Swimming Grand Prix overall title, which continues to be led by Chloe Sutton after her two wins in Charlotte.
In the pool, Club Wolverine's Emily Brunemann and Phelps had the top swims of the session, with times that rank in the top three in the world in the women's 1500 free and men's 200 IM, respectively.
Women's 1500 Free
Club Wolverine's Emily Brunemann and Mission Viejo's Chloe Sutton battled throughout the longest race on the women's program, but it was Brunemann who ended up pulling away for the victory. The 2008 NCAA Champion in the 1650 free clocked a top time of 16:15.40, the third fastest in the world this year, behind Australia's Melissa Gorman and Chile's Kristel Kobrich. Meanwhile, Sutton checked in at 16:21.12, which moved her to fifth in the world. Results beyond the top two were not available at press time.
Men's 800 Free
West Shore Y's Josef Kinderwater pulled away from the field to claim the race, posting a time of 8:12.46. Kinderwater finished more than four seconds ahead of Club Seminole's Ian Rowe, who posted a 8:16.77, which just beat out Badger's Ryan Feeley for third, as Feeley posted his time of 8:17.36 in earlier heats.
Women's 200 IM
SwimMAC's Justine Mueller touched out A.S.K.'s Dagny Knutson to win her first victory of the weekend. Mueller established a lead ahead of Knutson on the breaststroke and barely held her off down the stretch. Mueller clocked a time of 2:12.44 to Knutson's 2:12.61, moving them to 11th and 13th in the world, respectively. North Baltimore's Felicia Lee and Elizabeth Pelton took the race out fast but faded to third and fourth, respectively, with times of 2:14.99 and 2:15.39, respectively. Meanwhile, Bluefish's Elizabeth Beisel was fifth in 2:15.59.
Men's 200 IM
North Baltimore's Michael Phelps blasted out in front in the first 100 and held off Longhorn's Eric Shanteau to take the top spot and his third victory of the meet. Phelps, the two-time Olympic gold medalist in this race, clocked a time of 1:58.35, the second fastest time in the world this year, behind Great Britain's James Goddard (1:57.76). Phelps missed Thiago Pereira's meet record of 1:58.25 from last year. Shanteau checked in 1:59.90, just off the 1:59.75 he recorded at the Missouri Grand Prix which ranks him sixth in the world. Phelps' NBAC teammate Todd Patrick, the winner of the 400 IM, posted a 2:01.80 to claim third, just ahead of Club Wolverine's Wu Peng (2:02.22).
Women's 200 Back
Colorado Stars' Missy Franklin claimed her first victory in Charlotte, holding off Bluefish's Elizabeth Beisel for the win. Franklin, who just turned 15 on Monday, went out fast and finished in a time of 2:11.78, which leaves her just outside of the world top 25. Beisel used a strong last 50 to claim second in 2:12.10, off of the 2:10.82 she posted in March, which ranks 18th in the world. Meanwhile, Fort Lauderdale's Lauren Driscoll touched out Canada National Center's Barbara Jardin for third, 2:13.84 to 2:13.92.
Men's 200 Back
Olympic champion Ryan Lochte pulled away from a strong field and clocked a top time of 1:58.93, the 18th-fastest time in the world this year. Lochte, representing Daytona Beach, came on strong on the third 50 and pulled away at the end to claim victory. The only other swimmer under 2:00 was Rari Nantes' Sebastiano Ranfagni, who came in second at 1:59.74, missing the world top 25. Meanwhile, Tucson Ford's Matt Grevers and SwimMAC's Nick Thoman faded badly on the final 100; Grevers came in third at 2:00.15. Thoman, the winner of the 100 back last night, clocked 2:00.22, well off the 1:58.65 he posted at the Columbus Grand Prix that ranks 12th in the world. World record-holder Aaron Peirsol finished well back at 2:01.96, claiming sixth.
Women's 100 Free
California's Natalie Coughlin had a slight lead over Canada National Center's Victoria Poon at the halfway point and extended her lead coming home. Coughlin, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist in this event, checked in at 54.86, just off her 54.71 from the Austin Grand Prix which ranks sixth in the world. Poon clocked a time of 55.39, just outside the world top 25. Puerto Rico's Vanessa Garcia was third in 56.13. Swim Atlanta's Amanda Weir, the American Record-holder, was seventh in 56.61, well off of the 55.30 she posted at the Austin Grand Prix, which ranks her 25th in the world. Notably, A.S.K.'s Dagny Knutson clocked 56.11 in the B final, which would have put her third if she had made finals.
Men's 100 Free
Auburn's Gideon Louw came out on top of a tight field to win the meet's final event. Louw touched first in 50.09, while Daytona Beach's Ryan Lochte and Club Wolverine's Peter Vanderkaay both used strong second 50s to come home and tie for second, both clocking 50.29. Josh Schneider of SwimMAC and Cincinnati, who won the 50 free on Saturday, just missed the top three, clocking a 50.34 for fourth, while Longhorn's Ricky Berens was fifth in 50.55.
