The Mare Nostrum series’ Monaco stop – the final stop on the tour – has posted start lists that include some huge names, including the Iron Lady Katinka Hosszu, the American SwimMAC contingent led by Ryan Lochte, and the rising group of Danish women including world record-holder Rikke Moller Pedersen.
A number of big swimming nations have sent some of their best athletes, including Denmark, Japan, Canada and Germany to what should be an outstanding conclusion to the Mare Nostrum series.
You can view the full start lists here.
Hosszu’s name shows up the most, as it often does on start lists. The Hungarian sensation looks like she’ll contest nearly every event, and is the top seed in a good number of them.
Lochte is the biggest name, but American pro hub SwimMAC has brought most of its studs out, too. Breaststroker Micah Lawrence should be a force, and Zimbabwean backstroker Kirsty Coventry, making a career comeback, is also entered. Sprinter Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace is on a hot streak after a great Charlotte Pro Swim Series meet, and is the top seed in the 50 free. And high school senior Kathleen Baker, one of the nation’s best young swimmers, will also compete.
Then there’s Moller Pedersen, the world record-holder in the 200 breast who should go head-to-head with Lawrence and a host of others in that race. (That field also includes Japan’s Kanako Watanabe and Canada’s NCAA-winning Kierra Smith). Denmark will also be represented by flyer/freestyler Jeanette Ottesen, backstroker Mie Nielsen and sprinter Pernille Blume, among others. Flyer Viktor Bromer is in contention on the men’s side.
Watanabe is a part of a strong Japanese group, too, though the headliner has to be Kosuke Hagino, arguably the world’s best IMer at the moment. His teammate Daiya Seto is also entered, as is backstroker Ryosuke Irie.
One more huge name worth mentioning is South Africa’s Chad le Clos, who will look to stay on top of the world’s butterflyers in Monaco.
A few other big international names represented on the start lists:
- Japan: Miki Uchida, Kosuke Kitajima, Yasuhiro Koseki
- Germany: Steffen Deibler, Paul Biedermann, Christian Diener, Marco Koch
- Canada: Ryan Cochrane, Hilary Caldwell
- USA: Nic Fink, Mark Weber, Matt Josa
- France: Jeremy Stravius, Frederick Bousquet
- Australia: Matt Abood
The Monaco meet will take place June 13-14, with the other two stops (Canet, France and Barcelona, Spain) coming in the week prior.
Where can I buy tickets for this event? 😀
Kirsty Coventry will be a dark horse in Kazan. she’s had a long training block since july last year and we are yet to see her swimming tapered. she’s already gone 1.00.6 in the 100back in season. expecting a huge drop in the summer
I’m surprised to not see someone like Michael Andrew in that kind of meets. Ho loves traveling. No news of him since his bad SA long course nationals.
Really don’t know what to expect from him next summer. Does his progression stagnate now like for several other fast boys at a very early age? Is he done? Or has he changed something in his training to concoct us big time drops in August?
I presume he targets a spot in the US team for the world junior championships. But nothing is guaranteed for him.
By the way, I’ve noticed that, for the moment, on the website’s homepage poll, 4% of swimswam readers believe he will qualify for… Read more »
I really hate to say it, but I truly believe he will never make a USA olympic team. I think he should just compete for SA. Yes, his training is somewhat new and innovative but as of right now it’s not helping him now that he is getting older and competing with men who are in the weight room every day. Just my opinion
I don’t think he’s stagnating. Time drops are getting harder, yes, but he was in South Africa on vacation, it wasn’t just them focusing on Nationals. I don’t think he was doing doubles every day, or even once every day. They went on safaris and stuff, and trying to make all that work without having your backyard pool handy for workouts would be pretty tough. He’s back in Kansas now, though, and I imagine they’re back to working hard.
It’s certainly premature to say he’ll go to the Olympics for the U.S., I agree 100%, but it would also be premature to say he’s stagnating based on times he went while on vacation.
Are Morozov or Metalla racing here?
On current form, Hagino, Le Clos and Lochte are the headliners, and in that order. Let’s see if anyone can shake up the order of proceedings.
Where can I buy tickets for this event? Thanks for information!
Has anyone else seen Rikako Ikee (female) of Japan, born in 2000 and seeded with a 25.28 in the 50 free? Pretty faaaast.
I swam my first 400 IM ever today and I swam it in long course. Very painful event.
Happy for you.
Good job!! You’ll get used to it 😉