Some nice times went up in France this weekend in Amiens at the “Golden Lanes” event, where 8 winners split € 60,000 ($77,000) for sweeping event titles among the circuit’s three meets.
The stars of the meet were undeniably French swimmer Jeremy Stravius and Danish distance star Lotte Friis. Stravius, who is now representing the Amiens club officially in competition, won the 100 backstroke running-away in 53.70: the fastest long course time in the world this year. He had been a 54.0 in mid-February, and with this swim, just a few weeks from France’s World Championship Trials, puts himself in a good position to grab a spot at the World Championships in a crowded French backstroke group.
Italy’s Luca Marin won the 200 back in 2:03.16, without Stravius’ participation.
Instead, he took on some different events, and put up lifetime bests of 53.38 in the 100 fly and 1:59.87 in the 200 IM. Those are two races where he’s had some outstanding short course swims in his career, but hasn’t really explored much in long course.
In the 100 fly, Italian 21-year old Matteo Rivolta won in 52.98, ranked third in the world in 2012; Stravius easily won the IM.
Hungarian David Verraszto won the men’s 400 IM in 4:16.55.
The star of the women’s meet was Danish swimmer Lotte Friis. She’s good in Olympic years, but in odd-numbered years where she can truly attack her 1500 distance specialty, she seems to take her swimming to a new level. The defending 1500 World Champion zoomed to the top of the World Rankings in Amiens with a 16:01.41. That is 9 seconds better than the world’s previous fastest time – belonging to 15-year old American Becca Mann – and 16 seconds better than Friis herself was at a January stop of this series.
Friis would be the world’s biggest benificiary if the Olympics changed from an 800 to a 1500 for women as she is a veritable machine in this distance race. Her first 800 meters were an 8:26.96, which ranks 2nd in the world this year.
The women’s 200 free was one of the better head-to-head battles in this meet. One of Italy’s best, Alice Mizzau, won in 1:57.99, just ahead of one of France’s best Coralie Balmy in 1:58.07. They both have national roles that will reach far beyond their own performances headed toward Rio; if the two can continue succeeding, they will have better luck persuading their countries’ superstars (Federica Pellegrini and Camille Muffat, respectively) to focus on 800 free relay medals in 2016.
Other solid swims on the women’s side were a 25.47 in the 50 free from Olympic Nice 19-year old Anna Santamans.
The 8 big money winners were:
- Lotte Friis, 1500 free
- David Verraszto, 400 IM
- Fanny Babou, 100 Breast
- Jeremy Stravius, 100 Back/200 IM
- Anna Santamans, 50 Free
- Melanie Henique, 50 Fly
- Sarah Vaisse, 50 Breast
- Anthony Pannier, 800 Free
Irie & Hagino went 53.4s at NSWs..
Gotta admire Lotte for putting in a big efort when she could have pocketed the €s much slower. I would very much like the girls to do the 1500 at the Olympics. It is too big a jump from 800 to 10,000 & not enough from 400 to 800.
Actually I would like the form strokes to be 100 &. 400 now that starts & turns can make up 30% of the race. That last lap would be very entertaining & maybe give the lifeguards something to do . Imagine the underwater cameras on the fly & breast . !
Seeing anyone doing a 400 back or breast is feasible.. seeing people training for 400 fly would be pretty much hilarious..
We’ve seen a couple of women do 500 flys. In yards, more reasonable than meters, I suppose.
Not that it couldn’t be done in meters…could just grow pretty painful to watch.
Ya know what swimming really needs? Longer races. I hear that from casual sports fans all the time. (not).
Stravius is on fire. Just wonder if we’ll ever see him swim a 52 back again?
my mistake sorry, I got him and Lacourt mixed up.
Stravius has serious untapped potential in the 200 IM. We know he can put together at least three good strokes, and he can close in a 200 free. The French record in the 200 is a 1:59.58 from 2009 and he nearly snapped that here. I’d like to see him swim this tapered at French World Trials if it doesn’t interfere with the 100 back on the schedule.
Josh, agree about Jérémy Stravius. Finally we have here in France somebody who can represent us seriously at the international level in the men’s 200 IM. Of course he’s weak on breaststroke but his great underwaters help him. Fully tapered I see him able to swim 1.57. About the schedule, the 200 IM final is on Thursday April 11. The same day there are also the 100 free semi-finals just before. Will he swim these semi-finals? I don’t know. He could just swim the prelims to impress the team director. The 100 back final is on Wednesday April 10. His first goal is the 100 back and his second goal is to make the freestyle relay teams. The 200 IM… Read more »