Verraszto Notches #4 400 IM on Day 1 of FFN Golden Tour Camille Muffat Nice

2018 FFN Golden Tour Camille Muffat – Nice

• Friday, February 2 – Sunday, February 4, 2018
• Prelims 8:30am GMT+1 (2:30am EST/11:30pm PST); finals 5pm on Friday (11am EST/8am PST), 4:30pm on Saturday (10:30am EST/7:30am PST), and 3:30pm on Sunday (9:30am EST/6:30am PST)
• Piscine Jean Bouin, Nice
• 50m
• Brochure
• Psych sheet
• Live results

Day One of “Meeting International de Nice FFN Golden Tour Camille Muffat” is in the books. Perhaps the most noticeable thing about this year’s Golden Tour kickoff meet is the absence of Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu. In past years, the Iron Lady has entered every event, winning most of them. The Jean Bouin pool is, in fact, devoid of a large number of international swimmers this year. However, despite their reduced numbers, many of the foreign athletes graced the podiums on Friday night.

That said, it was France’s Damien Joly who picked up the first pair of wins. He touched first (8:05.85) in the morning final of the 800 free, then again in the first men’s event of the evening, the 1500 free (15:19.88). Hungary’s David Verraszto scored the silver in the morning (8:09.82) but skipped the 1500 to focus on defending his title in the 400 IM, which he won in 4:14.48. That’s exactly 2.10 seconds faster than he went last year, and ranks #4 in the world so far this season.

French distance star Lara Grangeon opened the women’s events with a victory in the 1500 free in the morning session (16:49.22), then came in second to Jaz Carlin of Wales in the 800 free at night (8:45.77 to 8:51.84). A half hour later, Grangeon (4:45.86) was back on the podium, this time with a bronze medal in the 400 IM behind Fantine Lesaffre (4:43.32) and Serbia’s Anja Crevar (4:44.58). Crevar and Lesaffre had finished second and third, respectively, in the 1500 free with 16:58.79 and 17:08.51.

Hometown favorite Charlotte Bonnet won the 50 back in 29.08, a big drop from her seed time of 30.57. Mélanie Henique edged Bonnet in the 50 fly, though, winning in 26.57, or .13 faster than she’d been to claim gold a year ago. Henique jumps up to the 11th-fastest in the world so far this season with her swim. France’s Fanny Deberghes edged Italy’s Sofia Tedeschi, 32.29 to 32.49, to win the 50 breast.

This weekend marks the return of Mehdy Metella, who after a very strong 2017 had to sit out the end of the season with a bad ankle sprain. On Friday night he won the 50 fly in 24.22 over emerging sprinter Maxime Grousset (24.38). There were no surprises in the 50 back, where Jérémy Stravius won with a resounding 25.41 over Paul-Gabriel Bedel (26.21) and Jordan Pothain (26.30), making him the 9th-fastest in the world this year. Lithuania’s Giedrius Titenis drubbed the field in the 50 breast, stopping the clock at 28.04, nearly a half body-length ahead of France’s Théo Bussière (28.43).

Friday Finals

• Women’s 1500 Meter Freestyle –Lara Grangeon (FRA) 16:49.22
• Men’s 800 Meter Freestyle – Damien Joly (FRA) 8:05.85
• Women’s 800 Meter Freestyle – Jaz Carlin (GBR) 8:45.77
• Men’s 1500 Meter Freestyle – Damien Joly (FRA) 15:19.88
• Women’s 400 Meter IM – Fantine Lesaffre (FRA) 4:43.32
• Men’s 400 Meter IM – David Verraszto (HUN) 4:14.48
• Women’s 50 Meter Backstroke – Charlotte Bonnet (FRA) 29.08
• Men’s 50 Meter Backstroke – Jérémy Stravius (FRA) 25.41
• Women’s 50 Meter Breaststroke – Fanny Deberghes (FRA) 32.20
• Men’s 50 Meter Breaststroke – Giedrius Titenis (LTU) 28.04
• Women’s 50 Meter Butterfly – Mélanie Henique (FRA) 26.57
• Men’s 50 Meter Butterfly – Mehdy Metella (FRA) 24.22

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Prize Money

Nice stage

• 1st – gold medal and 400 €
• 2nd – silver medal and 200 €
• 3rd – bronze medal and 150 €

General rankings

The top 5 women and top 5 men, based on points, after 3 stages of the Golden Tour will earn a total combined purse of 30,000 €. Points will be awarded as follows: 1st in event = 5 points, 2nd in event = 3 points, 3rd in event = 1 point. The Golden Tour bonus prize money will be allocated:

• 7000 € – 1st in total points
• 3500 € – 2nd in total points
• 2000 € – 3rd in total points
• 1500 € – 4th in total points
• 1000 € – 5th in total points