Club Wolverine Keeps Rolling During Charlotte UltraSwim

CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 10. CLUB Wolverine maintained the momentum built during the initial two days of competition at the Charlotte UltraSwim held at the Mecklenburg County Aquatics Center in Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday. Meanwhile, North Baltimore’s Katie Hoff locked down a meet record in the 400-meter freestyle.

The UltraSwim is the latest tune-up for this summer’s United States Nationals in Irvine, Calif. That meet will serve as the selection competition for the Pan Pacific Championships and also will influence the selection of the U.S. squad for the 2007 World Champs in Melbourne.

Women’s 200-meter butterfly

Athens Bulldog Mary DeScenza opened the third finals session of the Charlotte UltraSwim with an Olympic Trials cut time of 2:13.83 to claim the 200 fly title. Meanwhile, Club Wolverine’s Katie Carroll grabbed silver with an Olympic Trials time of her own in 2:15.83.

No one could doubt DeScenza’s triumph in the event as she led the race from start to finish. After pushing out to a second lead in the first 50 meters, she stretched her advantage to nearly two seconds at the 150-meter mark before capturing a two-second victory.

In consolation heat action, Emily Kukors clocked a National cut time of 2:16.70, while six other swimmers notched Junior National cuts.

Men’s 200-meter butterfly

Club Wolverine continued to shine with a top-two sweep of the 200 fly event. Michael Phelps (1:56.17) and Davis Tarwater (1:59.45) eclipsed the Olympic Trials cut in the event with first and second-place finishes. Phelps' time is an indication that he should push his world record of 1:53.93 this summer.

After pushing his teammate during the first 50 meters, Tarwater witnessed Phelps extend his lead to more than two seconds at the 150-meter mark before winning by more than three seconds.

Meanwhile Cincy Marlins’ David Mosko (2:02.30) and Mecklenburg’s Ricky Berens (2:03.34) also qualified for Olympic Trials. Additionally, YMCA Triangle’s Charlie Houchin posted an Olympic Trials cut of his own in the consolation final with a 2:03.79.

Five other swimmers clocked National cuts, while six competitors snared Junior National times.

Women’s 50-meter freestyle

A trio of swimmers claimed Olympic Trials times in the 50 free as Athens Bulldog Kara Lynn Joyce copped gold in 25.77, while SwimAtlanta’s Amanda Weir (25.85) and California’s Emily Silver (25.96) placed second and third.

Furthermore, Club Wolverine’s Lindsey Smith (26.72) and Athens Bulldog Maritza Correia (26.74) earned National cut times. Additionally, six other participants picked up Junior National marks.

Men’s 50-meter freestyle

After a blazing second day in which four meet records fell, N.C. State’s Cullen Jones downed the first standard of the night. Jones erased Seminole Brandon Dedekind’s six-year-old watermark of 22.76 set in 2000 with a 22.39 effort in the prelims. He then posted a first-place time of 22.42 in the final. Additionally, Apostolos Tsagkarakis won silver in 23.14.

In other action, Auburn’s Kurt Cady (23.57) and Indiana’s Todd Patrick (23.70) clocked National cut times with third and fourth-place efforts. Additionally, incoming Indiana signee Matt Lenton claimed the consolation heat with a National cut performance of 23.79. Meanwhile, five other swimmers posted Junior National times.

Women’s 100-meter backstroke

Another Grand Prix event, another superstar swimmer tracked down for Indiana’s Leila Vaziri. After downing Natalie Coughlin in the 100 back at the Eric Namesnik Memorial Grand Prix, Vaziri came from behind to knock off North Baltimore’s Katie Hoff at the UltraSwim. After falling behind 31.11 to 31.29 at the 50-meter mark, Vaziri dropped the hammer to claim her second consecutive Grand Prix gold in the event with an Olympic Trial cut of 1:02.72 against Hoff’s 1:03.41.

Two other swimmers captured Olympic Trials times in the championship heat as Auburn’s Rachel Goh took third in 1:03.73, while Bluefish’s Elizabeth Beisel touched in 1:04.46. A pair of competitors also snared Olympic Trials cuts in the consolation heat as DeScenza won in 1:03.74, while Club Wolverine’s Kaitlin Sandeno picked up second in the heat with a 1:04.46.

Overall, three other swimmers clocked National cuts, while seven qualified for Junior Nationals.

Men’s 100-meter backstroke

Daytona Beach’s Ryan Lochte made his mark on the day with a gold medal in the 100 back. In the second successive come from behind triumph in the 100 back at the UltraSwim, Lochte fell behind Auburn’s James Wike 27.36 to 27.45 at the 50-meter mark. Unfortunately for the Wildcat, Lochte raced by him for the win in an Olympic Trials cut time of 55.78 against Wike’s 55.89.

Meanwhile, Bluefish’s David Russell placed third with a 56.03, while Bolles School’s Omar Pinzon placed ninth in 57.97. Both times cleared the Olympic Trial threshold.

In other action, Auburn’s Doug Van Wie notched a National cut time of 58.08, while seven other swimmers clocked Junior National times.

Women’s 200-meter breaststroke

Vipa Bernhardt tracked down four other swimmers after trailing at the 50-meter mark of the 200 breast to capture gold with a 2:32.90. Meanwhile, Club Wolverine’s Justine Mueller placed second with an Olympic Trials cut of 2:35.42, while Rockville’s Colleen Haase posted a third-place Olympic Trials cut of 2:35.74.

Additionally, a pair of swimmers garnered National times, while three other participants qualified for Junior Nationals.

Men’s 200-meter breaststroke

Auburn’s Mark Gangloff overpowered Phelps and Club Wolverine’s Grant Burtch in the 200 breast as the Olympian rolled to an Olympic Trials time of 2:18.35. Phelps placed second in his own Olympic Trials cut of 2:19.84, while Burtch qualified for Nationals in 2:22.23.

Two other entrants qualified for Nationals, while another two swimmers chimed in with Junior National cuts.

Women’s 400-meter freestyle

Hoff demonstrated some bounce-back ability in the 400 free with a meet-record time of 4:07.83 during a race in which she never trailed after the 50-meter mark. The time clearly shows Hoff's development in the middle-distance freestyles. Three other swimmers joined Hoff with Olympic Trials cuts as Club Wolverine’s Hayley Piersol (4:14.70), Flavia Rigamonti (4:16.54) and Club Wolverine’s Carroll (4:18.82) all cleared the threshold.

Two participants posted National times, while two other swimmers qualified for Junior Nationals.

Men’s 400-meter freestyle

Club Wolverine swept the top-two spots in the 400 free as Peter Vanderkaay (3:50.12) and Klete Keller (3:50.99) both eclipsed the meet record while also posting Olympic Trials cuts. The duo traded the lead back and forth throughout the race before Vanderkaay came home with a 26.97 split against Keller’s 27.88 in the final 50 meters to capture gold.

Meanwhile, Houchin finished third in an Olympic Trials time of 3:56.98, while Cape Cod’s Tobias Work touched in fourth with an Olympic Trials cut of 3:59.25. Four other swimmers qualified for Nationals, while three entrants grabbed Junior National times.

Women’s 400-meter medley relay

Club Wolverine countered yesterday’s Athens Bulldog relay win by downing the team from Georgia in the 400 medley relay. The contingent of Hannah Smith, Mueller, Melissa Jaeger and Lindsey Smith captured gold in a National cut time of 4:18.97 in an incredibly close race. The Bulldog quartet of Haley Chura, Gretchen Corliss, Descenza and Joyce snared second in a National cut time of 4:19.11.

Meanwhile, Area Tallahassee’s team of Romy Altmann, Amanda Hartley, Lauren Sparg and Georgia Holderness claimed third in a National cut of 4:22.79.

Men’s 400-meter medley relay

Club Wolverine built on the momentum built by its women’s team win as Phelps, Jamie Barone, Tarwater and Peter Vanderkaay cruised to a meet-record and National cut time of 3:46.34. Meanwhile, Bluefish’s Russell, P.J. Sullivan, Pat Reams and Eric Nilsson grabbed second in a National cut time of 3:50.87.

Club Wolverine’s B team of Sal Barba, Burtch, Alex Vanderkaay and Keller rounded out the top three with a National time of 3:54.00.

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