North American Challenge Cup Features Canadian Dominance on Second Day

LOS ANGELES, California, August 12. NATIONAL pride on the line, teams from Canada, Mexico, and Southern California converged on the campus of the University of Southern California for the second day of the North American Challenge Cup.

At the end of the second day, Canada leads the team battle with 983.5 points, while Southern California is second with 912 points. Mexico holds second with 562.5 points.

Canada posted a 1-2-3-4 effort for the second day in a row to start a session when the girls 17-18 100 free concluded with Hayley Nell atop the podium in 57.82. Her teammates Caroline Murray (58.15), Breanna Hedricks (58.27) and Amy Xu (1:00.48) took second through fourth.

"I tried to get ahead and stay there," Nell said after her victory.

In the boys 17-18 100 free, Canada's Greg Gerum won a hotly contested race with a strong finish. He touched in 52.99, while Mexico's Jaime Mendiola Figueroa (53.13) and Gerardo Banuelos Sandoval (53.20) grabbed second and third, respectively.

"Get to the wall," Gerum said when asked what he was thinking during the race.

Canada's Karah Stanworth-Belleville added to her 17-18 100 back title with a triumph in the 200 back. She touched in 2:16.85 to beat Mexico's Gabrielle Alzaga Escalona (2:26.12) by 10 seconds. Alberta's Brittany Ozar rounded out the top three in 2:26.71.

Canada waltzed through the boys 17-18 200 back race with a top three sweep. Derek Doerksen won in 2:06.06, while Andrew Ford finished second in 2:08.45 and Evan Buck took third in 2:09.87.

"I couldn't be happier with my swim," Doerksen said. "My goal is to be in the top six at Canadian trials next April and this was a good step."

Murray led the Canadians to another 1-2-3-4 performance, this time in the girls 17-18 400 free. Murray won in 4:17.64, while Samantha Cheverton (4:19.98), Hendricks (4:24.13) and Xu (4:33.04) completed the top four sweep.

"I care about all my Team Canada teammates, and Samantha [Cheverton] turned in a lifetime best also," Murray said of her team's success.

Mexico's Banuelos Sandoval paced his team's top-two sweep in the boys 17-18 400 free with a time of 4:02.42. Compatriot Roy Ramos Mejia finished second in 4:04.86, while Canada's Steven Bielby touched third in 4:06.57.

After setting a lifetime best in the 400 free, Cheverton returned to win the girls 17-18 200 fly in another lifetime-best readout of 2:19.08. Southern California swimmers Alyssa Stachowski (2:23.22) and Michelle Berman (2:26.08) earned silver and bronze, respectively.

"After a fast 400, I tried not to go out too hard, bring it back and really cook the last 50," Cheverton said after the 200 fly win.

In the boys 17-18 200 fly, Canada's Zack Chetrat held off Alberta's Joshua Au, 2:04.35 to 2:04.45, in a seesaw battle sorted out only at the touch. Mexico's Ramon Navarrete Hinojosa placed third in 2:07.87.

"I don't like losing to Au and really pushed the second 100," Chetrat said after the close race.

For the second night in a row Canada and Mexico's 17-18 boys relay came down to the wire. This time in the 400 free relay, Canada and Mexico were even through each exchange. The crowd on its feet, Mexico pulled it out by .03 seconds, concluding an emotionally-charged day.

In the end, Mexico's team of Mendiola Figueroa, Gilberto Garcia Conde Garcia, Carlos Corpi Arnaud and Banuelos Sandoval touched first in 3:32.55, while Canada's foursome of Gerum, Buck, Chetrat and Dominique Massie-Martel finished second in 3:32.58.

Meanwhile, Canada's girls 17-18 squad of Nell, Hendricks, Murray and Xu easily claimed the 400 free title in 3:56.15.

Special thanks to Jeremy Anderson and Mary Jo Swalley for contributing to this report.

North American Challenge Cup 2007

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