2020 Brazil Trophy Introduces ISL-Like, Bitcoin Sponsored Skins Race

2020 BRAZIL TROPHY

• Wednesday, December 9th- Saturday, December 12th
• Aquatic Club Vasco da Gama, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• LCM (50m)
• Qualification Times
• Selection Event for the 2021 South American Championships
• Results
• Live Stream (Free)
• Day 1 Recap

The day 2 highlight at the 2020 Brazil Trophy was the introduction of the Bitcoin sponsored skins race in both the men’s and women’s 50 freestyle. In ISL fashion, the fastest 4 Brazilian swimmers in the 50 freestyle final moved on the round 2, only a few minutes after the first swim. From there, the top 2 advanced to the final round to battle in out for the top spot.

Prize money for the event totaled 14,000 Brazilian Real, equal to around $2,785 USD. Along with the skins, swimmers raced the 200 free, 200 back, and 4×200 freestyle finals. Minas extended their lead from day 1, now leading with 1,415, nearly 1,000 points ahead of second-place Corinthians who sit at 520.

Women’s 200 Freestyle Final

1. Aline Rodrigues, Minas –  2:01.16
2. Gabrielle Roncatto, Unisanta – 2:02.15
3. Maria Jose Cocco, Mexico – 2:02.80

Aline da Silva Rodrigues opened day 2 with a win in the 200 freestyle, swimming a 2:01.16 for gold, just over her best time of 1:59.56 from the 2019 Pan American Games. Gabrielle Gonçalves Roncatto was second, swimming a 2:02.15, also slower than her PB which sits at a 1:59.22, dating back to the 2016 Olympic Games.

Maria Jose Cocco joined the two in the top three, swimming a 2:02.80 for team Mexico. Cocco and her fellow Mexican teammates have a shot at Olympic qualification at the Brazil Trophy but she missed the 1:57.28 FINA A cut by a fair margin.

Men’s 200 Freestyle Final

1. Fernando Scheffer, Minas – 1:47.21
2. Murilo Sartori, Natação Americana – 1:48.54
3. Vinicius Assunção, Fluminense – 1:48.57

Fernando Scheffer won the very first men’s event of the night for Minas with his 1:47.21 swim, better than silver medalist Murilo Sartori’s 1:48.54. That’s just over a best time for both of them, Scheffer with a PB of 1:45.83 and Sartori a 1:47.39, each from last year.

Vinicius Assunção joined the two on the podium, hitting a 1:48.57.

Women’s 200 Backstroke Final

1. Natália de Luccas, Paineiras – 2:17.00
2. Gabriella Mello, Paineiras – 2:18.47
3. Fernanda Celidônio, Minas – 2:21.22

In the women’s 200 back, the Paineiras women pulled off a 1-2 finish with Natália de Luccas swimming a 2:17.00 for gold and Gabriela Mello hitting a 2:18.47 for silver. That win for de Luccas is just over her previous best which sits at 2:15.58 from last year at the FINA World Cup No. 5 in Berlin. Fernanda Celidônio picked up a bronze medal for Minas, clocking a 2:21.22.

Men’s 200 Backstroke Final

1. Leonardo Guedes, Minas – 2:04.02
2. Isaac Saraiva, Minas – 2:05.51
3. Pedro Pena, União – 2:05.57

Doing what Paineiras did in the women’s event, the Minas men picked up gold and silver in the men’s 200 back courtesy of Leonardo Guedes’ 2:04.02 and teammate Isaac Saraiva’s 2:05.51. Both Guedes and Saraiva could be vying for spots on the 2020 Olympic squad for Brazil should they make it to the 2021 South American Champs. Last year, the nation only swam one swimmer in the 200 back at 2019 World with Leonardo de Deus racing a 1:58.74 for 22nd place. Should de Deus represent Brazil in the event next summer, that would leave one spot up for grabs.

Coming in at 2:05.57, Pedro Pena rounded out the top three for GNU.

Women’s 50 Freestyle Final

Venezuela’s Jeserik Sequera touched first in the women’s sprint with a 25.47, just ahead of Curitibano’s Alessandra Marchioro with 25.71. Coming in for the bronze medal was Argentine swimmer Andrea Berrino with the only other sub-26 time in the field at 25.74.

With Sequera and Berrino not eligible to move on to the skins event, 4th, 5th, and 6th place finishers Stephanie Balduccini (26.11), Priscila de Souza (26.25), and Celine Bishop (26.46) moved on to the semi-final.

In the second round, Balduccini overtook Marchioro for the top spot, hitting a 26.40 to Marchioro’s 26.78. The two knocked out de Souza and Bishop and advanced to the final.

There, Balduccini repeated as the top finisher, winning the event with a 26.49, and Marchioro fell to a 29.26.

Final Prize Money

1. Stephanie Balduccini: 4,000 R$ (Roughly $800 USD)
2. Alessandra Marchioro: 1,500 R$ (Roughly $300 USD)
3. Priscila de Souza: 1,000 R$ (Roughly $200 USD)
4. Celine Bispo: 500 R$ (Roughly $100 USD)

Men’s 50 Freestyle Final

In the men’s 50 freestyle final, the top three finishers were all Brazilian meaning they each moved on they each advanced to round to. Bruno Fratus lead the effort, swimming a 22.32 and Lucas Peixoto was right behind with a 22.49. Marco Antonia Ferreira Jr. rounded out the top three with his 22.64. Fourth-place finisher Victor Melo Baganha also moved on to the next round with a 22.68.

In the semi-final, World Champ medalist Bruno Fratus fell to third place and left first and second to Lucas Peixoto and Marco Ferreira with 23.45 and 23.52, respectively. Fratus and Baganha were eliminated from third and fourth.

In the final, Peixoto extended his margin over Ferreira winning by 0.45 second with a 24.15 to Ferreira’s 24.60.

Final Prize Money

1. Lucas Peixoto: 4,000 R$ (Roughly $800 USD)
2. Marco Antonio Ferreira Jr.: 1,500 R$ (Roughly $300 USD)
3. Bruno Fratus: 1,000 R$ (Roughly $200 USD)
4. Victor Baganha: 500 R$ (Roughly $100 USD)

Women’s 4×200 Freestyle Relay

1. Minas Tenis Clube – 8:24.70
2. Corinthians – 8:25.45
3. GNU – 8:31.26

Minas repeated their gold medal performance from last night’s 4×100 freestyle to win the 4×200 relay. Fernanda Andrade, Ana Carvalho, Beatriz Dizotti, and Aline da Silva Rodrigues took gold in an 8:24.70 to out touch the Corinthians team’s 8:25.45. Also reaching the podium was GNU, a couple of seconds behind at 8:31.26.

Men’s 4×200 Freestyle Relay

1. Minas Tenis Clube – 7:23.47
2. Fluminense – 7:24.42
3. GNU – 7:31.67

The Minas men made it 4-for-4 for the team’s relay wins, hitting a 7:23.47 for gold. Lucas Peixoto raced for the winning team fresh off a win in the 50 freestyle skins. He. along with fellow Minas swimmers Pablo Vieira, Guilherme da Costa, and Fernando Scheffer swam a 7:23.47. Team Fluminense touched shortly after in 7:24.42 and  GNU joined the top 3 with a time of 7:31.67.

Team Scores After Day 2

1. Minas Tenis Clube: 1,415
2. Corinthians: 520
3. CR Flamengo: 359
4. Curitibano: 330
5. GNU: 240