ISL Depth Charts 2020: Aqua Centurions Build Around Star Breaststrokers

INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING LEAGUE 2020: AQUA CENTURIONS

• 2019 finish: 7th
• 2019 MVP: Breno Correia (62.5 MVP points)

Full Roster

2020 Depth Charts

Our depth charts are equal parts research and prognostication. While most of our ordering is based around best times on record, we’ve also done some guesswork based on time conversions from short course yards and/or long course meters, or in cases where athletes don’t have recent results in a specific event. These depth charts are intended to show the top options for each event, even if the specific event lineup may prevent a top swimmer from entering all of the events where they rank in the top two.

Potential skin races are shown in blue, and the events with relay considerations in red.

Strengths

Last year, men’s breaststroke was a major high point for the Aqua Centurions, who put up 1-2 sweeps in the 50 breast in both group A matches. They return both Scozzoli and Martinenghi and should be a strong breaststroking team. The women’s side is very strong as well, with Carraro and Castiglioni among the better entrants in the league.

They’re also pretty strong through the 100/200 freestyles, between Miressi, Correia and Melo.

The women’s roster was decimated with late withdrawals, but Pellegrini is a major freestyle weapon, and Medeiros offers nice speed in free and back.

Weaknesses

The women’s butterfly events were hardest hit by withdrawals. Madeline Groves, Silvia di Pietro, Elena Di Liddo, and Ilaria Bianchi all figured to be top options across the fly distances, and their absences will leave a big hole there.

Relay depth could be somewhat iffy – mostly a product of the roster withdrawals clearing out depth. But the top end is good enough to contend.

The IMs for both men and women were relative weaknesses last year, and there aren’t a whole lot of game-changing roster additions. Losing Travis Mahoney on the men’s side also clears out depth there.

Skins

Free: the freestyle skin races were a liability last year, and very few of the top entrants there return. Adding Iron’s Szabo should help a lot on the men’s side, and Miressi projects as a good entrant, with his 200 free endurance. Medeiros is an intriguing newcomer on the women’s side.

Back: Medeiros keeps the women’s roster alive in this stroke, though depth is again hurting due to withdrawals. The men lost clear-cut top backstroker Simone Sabbioni, so this won’t be a great stroke for the Aqua Centurions.

Breast: The clear strength of the roster, with Carraro, Castiglioni, Scozzoli and Martinenghi all specializing in the 50 breast.

Fly: Szabo should be the top fly entrant for the men in addition to his freestyle role. The women’s roster lost too many top Italians to be a real threat here.

Outlook

There was a time when it looked doubtful that the Aqua Centurions could even fill a full roster, though they’ve supplemented with some good rising swimmers. Like last year, there will be some obvious high points each meet – the breaststrokes, in particular, will be a strength.

The Italy-based team could be especially dangerous if they’re ever able to pick the skin stroke to utilize their star breaststrokers. But the losses in back and fly will make winning the medley relay pretty difficult.

The big question will be how well the free relays can hold up. The men’s side might actually turn out better after the high roster turnover there. But the women’s roster remains pretty thin, and we’d expect the Aqua Centurions to face an uphill battle against three other fairly strong European franchises.