Olympic gold medalists and world-record holdersΒ Missy FranklinΒ (Centennial, Colo.) andΒ Michael PhelpsΒ (Baltimore, Md.) are expected to lead a group of more than 50 members of the USA Swimming National Team headlining the field for the June 18-21 Arena Pro Swim Series (#ArenaProSwim) at Santa Clara.
Additional individualΒ Olympic gold medalists expected to swim at the George F. Haines International Swim Center include Berkeley-basedΒ Nathan AdrianΒ (Bremerton, Wash.),Β Natalie CoughlinΒ (Vallejo, Calif.) andΒ Anthony ErvinΒ (Valencia, Calif.) of California Aquatics, as well asΒ Tyler ClaryΒ (Riverside, Calif.),Β Matt GreversΒ (Lake Forest, Ill.) andΒ Allison SchmittΒ (Canton, Mich.).
The action opens with a timed-final distance session at 4 p.m. PDT on Thursday, June 18. Friday, June 19, through Sunday, June 21, prelims will begin at 9 a.m. PDT, followed by finals at 5 p.m. PDT.
Universal Sports NetworkΒ will air exclusive live television coverage of the meet Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20 at 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. PDT) with play-by-play announcerΒ Ted RobinsonΒ and analystΒ Rowdy GainesΒ calling the action from Santa Clara. Additionally, a webcast of the complete meet will be available atΒ usaswimming.org.
Tickets are required for each session, and all- and single-session passes areΒ on sale now. Full meet information can be found atΒ usaswimming.org.
The four-day meet serves as the sixth and final stop of the 2014-15 Arena Pro Swim Series β formerly known as the Arena Grand Prix Series. Defending series championsΒ Conor DwyerΒ (Winnetka, Ill.) andΒ Katinka HosszuΒ of Hungary enter the 2014-15 finale as the series leaders with 61 and 63 points, respectively. Just a half-point separates the top American women, asΒ Caitlin LeverenzΒ (Tucson, Ariz.) holds a 39-38.5 edge overΒ Elizabeth BeiselΒ (Saunderstown, R.I.).
Additional local standouts expected to compete include current and former Stanford University swimmersΒ Maya DiRadoΒ (Santa Rosa, Calif.),Β Simone ManuelΒ (Sugar Land, Texas) andΒ Lia NealΒ (Brooklyn, N.Y.), as well as several members of Calβs 2015 womenβs NCAA title-winning team, including Franklin,Β Rachel BootsmaΒ (Eden Prairie, Minn.) andΒ Elizabeth PeltonΒ (Baltimore, Md.).
A number of current Cal menβs swimmers are slated to swim in Santa Clara, including the likes of National Team membersΒ Ryan MurphyΒ (Jacksonville, Fla.),Β Jacob PebleyΒ (Corvallis, Ore.) andΒ Josh PrenotΒ (Santa Maria, Calif.).
The Arena Pro Swim Series at Santa Clara is the sixth and final stop of the 2014-15 Arena Pro Swim Series, which was formerly known as the Arena Grand Prix Series prior to a January 2015 rebranding announcement. The series provides the nationβs best swimmers the opportunity to face top-flight competition on U.S. soil with twice the prize money as last season on the line.
βUsing the Arena Pro Swim Series name makes it immediately recognizable to fans and media that our sportβs absolute best athletes are racing in the hometowns of swimmers and sports fans,β said USA Swimming National Team DirectorΒ Frank Busch. βAt the same time, anyone who posts a qualifying time is eligible, just as it has been, so it creates a unique opportunity for high school and collegiate swimmers to challenge themselves against top competition. In many ways, itβs like playing in the same game as LeBron James or a Tour event with Tiger Woods.β
As part of USA Swimmingβs partnership with swimwear leader Arena, the Arena Pro Swim Series features $300,000 in overall prize money. Eligible swimmers may earn awards for top-three finishes in all individual Olympic events across the series. At each meet, $1,000 will be provided for a first-place finish, $600 for second and $200 for third. In addition to the single-event prize money, the overall male and female winners of the season-long Series will earn a $10,000 bonus.
For the second consecutive season, USA Swimming partner BMW will award the grand prize of a one-year lease of a BMW ActiveHybrid 3 to the highest-scoring eligible male and female U.S. swimmers.
Male and female overall Arena Pro Swim Series champions will be honored at the conclusion of the 2014-15 series based on the number of points accumulated throughout the six meets. Participants will be awarded points in each individual Olympic event throughout the duration of the Series (Five points for first, three for second, one point for third place).
Complementing the professional athletes, high school and collegiate swimmers will be able challenge their abilities against top competition without compromising their NCAA eligibility. USA Swimming received approval from the NCAA for the Arena Pro Swim Series title.
Swimming news courtesy of USA Swimming.
Finally! I love when Ryan Murphy races Grevers and Clary
I love when Ryan races anybody π
I expect to see some great times! Times are always better when there’s more competition.
i wanna see MP breaks 52 sec barrier in the 100fly at this meet…come on Michael!
looks like he has no competition at all in both the 1fly & 2im since there’s no Shields no Phillips no Conger no Dwyer racing against him in these races. Can’t wait to see MP swims his own races under the sunny Santa Clara. never forget that he’s a genius in swimming.
π π GO MP!
happy to see some of my fav girls Coughlin, Franklin, Manuel… competing in SC as well!!! π it’s gonna be an exciting meet as usual.
The last three times Phelps has swam the 100 butterfly, 2009, 2011, and 2014, Phelps went 52. in the event.
has swum π
“looks like he has no competition at all in both the 1fly & 2im since thereβs no Shields no Phillips no Conger no Dwyer racing against him in these races”
You forgot the big man Lochte who would be an even bigger competitor.