Swimming Canada Reveals 14-Swimmer Roster for Worlds, McCabe/Van Beilen to Headline

Swimming Canada has announced their lineup for the 2012 World Short Course Championships that will take place from December 12th-16th in Istanbul, Turkey. Like we’ve seen from many countries outside of the European continent, the federation is sending very much of a slimmed-down squad to the meet.

The women’s side will carry a lot more fireworks than the men’s side will on this roster, including the country’s top two breaststrokers Martha McCabe and Tera van Beilen. The MacLean sisters, Brittany and Heather are also joining this squad off of Canada’s Olympic team; as is butterflier Katerine Savard.

On the men’s side, the only Olympian is Tommy Gossland, who was a member of the Canadian 400 free relay team that finished 10th overall.

It’s also interesting to note the split between swimmers who compete/competed in the NCAA (America’s college system) and the CIS (Canada’s college system). This has become a hot-button issue as Canada pushes to develop their domestic system.

Two on this roster, Brittany MacLean and Chantal van Landeghem, swim in the United States at Georgia. This meet will fit well into their schedule, as Georgia is already sending a big contingent to the meet, including Allison Schmitt, Shannon Vreeland, Megan Romano, and former Bulldog Mark Dylla.

Other NCAA swimmers on this roster include Jake Tapp, a former Arizona Wildcat, and Warren Barnes, a former Pitt Pantherl, but it is largely a home-grown lineup for Istanbul. The curveball is Andrew Poznikoff, who will be the first member of the Simon Fraser Canadian/NCAA crossover squad to make an international roster after they’ve begun official NCAA competition.

The City of Vancouver continues to be Canada’s hotbed for swimming talent, as 5 of the 14 members of the team represent the Vancouver Dolphins, and over half (8 out of 14) coming from the National Swim Centre there. That includes Luke Peddie, an exciting young freestyler who just missed the Olympic Team.