Sandpipers Grimes, Weinstein & Kharun Drop Out of Mission Viejo Pro Swim

2023 Pro Swim Series ā€“ Mission Viejo

Three marquee names have dropped out of the fourth and final leg of the 2023 Pro Swim Series in Mission Viejo this week.

2022 World Championship medalists Katie Grimes andĀ Claire Weinstein have both withdrawn from the competition since the initial release of the psych sheets last week, as has their Sandpipers of Nevada teammate and Canadian World Championship qualifier Ilya Kharun.

We now know that Grimes and Weinstein are headed to the second leg of the World Aquatics Open Water Cup this weekend in Golfo Aranci, Italy.

Bella Sims is the lone Sandpiper swimmer still on the entry list.

Grimes, Weinstein and Kharun have been busy over the last month, with Grimes and Weinstein notably racing at U.S. Open Water Nationals in Sarasota, Fla., (April 21-23) less than a week after competing at the Fran Crippen Swim Meet of Champions (SMOC) in Mission Viejo.

Kharun, meanwhile, raced at the Canadian Swimming Trials in early April, the Canadian Open Water Nationals on April 15-16, and then followed up by competing at U.S. Open Water Nationals less than a week later.

Sims competed at the SMOC but not at Open Water Nationals.

Grimes, the 2022 World Championship silver medalist in the womenā€™s 1500 free and 400 IM, was not initially entered in those events, but was among the top contenders in the women’s 200 free, 400 free and 200 IM, and was also entered in the 100 back, 200 back and 200 breast.

Weinstein, who swam the lead-off leg on the U.S. women’s gold medal-winning 800 free relay at last summer’s Worlds, was previously the top seed in the women’s 200 free, second to Grimes in the 400 free, and was also slated to contest the 50 free, 100 free,Ā  and 100 fly.

Kharun was the third seed in the men’s 100 and 200 fly and also had entries in the 200 free, 200 back and 50 fly.

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Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

Speaking of the Pro Swim Series, Hali Flickinger has yet to compete in calendar year 2023. Has Hali decided to take the year off or has she decided to retire?

Sherry Smit
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

I think sheā€™s taking some time off. She alluded to that in melā€™s interview with her after SC.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

A number of notable females will be missing from competitive swimming in the month of May:

Bacon, Phoebe
Flickinger, Hali
Grimes, Katie
Smith, Leah
Smith, Regan
Walsh, Alex
Weinstein, Claire

That’s practically one-third of the national team that represented USA at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.

Noah
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

There was an article a couple days ago about Ella Nelson and Alex Walsh competing

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Noah
1 year ago

An intrasquad scrimmage is not the same as the Pro Swim Series. For example, Ella Nelson and Alex Walsh are not competing against Lilly King in the women’s 200 meter breaststroke.

Admin
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

He’s referring to the Atlanta Classic.

Hswimmer
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

Open water for Weinstein, Grimes. Bacon will be competing Iā€™m assuming for trials as she was featured in P&P. Regan Iā€™m assuming is training until Trials, as well as L. Smith. Walsh has competed. Flickinger is the only unknown.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Hswimmer
1 year ago

One would think the athletes would get some last minute racing during the month of May in order to prepare for the 2023 Phillips 66 National Championships.

Coleman Hodges
Reply to  Hswimmer
1 year ago

Regan is training at altitude the majority of May with the rest of Bowman’s crew. ASU is having a LCM prelims/finals meet June 2-4

Rev
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

Leah entered in Charlotte Open

Noah
1 year ago

šŸ’”šŸ’”šŸ’”šŸ’”

Keboblover222
Reply to  Noah
1 year ago

Same

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Noah
1 year ago

I was looking forward to Katie Grimes and Claire Weinstein compete.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam ā€¦

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