2020 CASCADE TRANS MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL
- Saturday, February 22nd & Sunday, February 23rd
- Brookfield YMCA at Seton
- 50m (LCM)
- Psych Sheets
- Results
The 2020 Cascade Trans Mountain Festival concluded with swims from newly un-retired Olympic medalist Brent Hayden, along with several Canadian national teamers Cole Pratt, Ingrid Wilm, Richard Funk and Carson Olafson. Notably, a couple top seeds heading into finals did not return for finals, including Jade Hannah, Jeremy Bagshaw and Mackenzie Padington.
Brent Hayden swam to a 22.31 50 freestyle victory, improving upon his 22.40 prelim swim. In his first meet back following a 7 year retirement, Hayden has reasserted himself as a force in the Canadian sprint scene. On the first night of the meet Hayden was golden in the 100 free with a 49.51 and now sits at 3rd nationally in that event. Hayden’s 22.31 50 is good enough to remain the top-ranked 50 swimmers nationally. These swims at this point in his season bode well for Hayden’s Olympic effort and he will be among the favourites to make the squad next month.
The FINA “A” standard in the event is 22.01, while the FINA “B” standard is 22.67.
Cole Pratt returned on day 2 of the meet to deliver two more gold medal performances; the 400 IM and 100 back. Pratt swam a 56.59 in the 100, the only one in the field to crack the 1:00 mark, and hit a 4:26.75 in the 400. Pratt was joined on the 100 back podium by Mathieu Cyr and Ali Al-Shareef on the podium for silver and bronze, respectively. Mathieu Cyr also medalled in the 400 IM as he took bronze, with Jacob Gallant securing silver.
Pratt is one of many Canadian juniors gunning for a spot at the Olympics this summer and has 3 top-3 rankings so far this season. Pratt’s 100 back is ranked second this season in Canada with a 55.00 from the U.S Open in December, 1.49 second off Markus Thormeyer’s 53.51. Pratt is also the second ranked 200 IM, after Finlay Knox and third ranked 200 back, following Thormeyer and Javier Acevedo.
In the 50 backstroke, with top seed Jade Hannah not swimming the final, Ingrid Wilm was left to decisively take gold in 28.71. Gray Almasi was second in a 30.67 and Kaitlyn Auch was third in 31.29. That time for Wilm would have been good to enough for silver at Canadian USports this weekend, behind Danielle Hanus’s 28.05. Furthermore, with 28.71 means that Wilm retains her second seed nationally, behind Hanus.
Wilm picked up her second medal with a silver in the 50 fly, behind 100 fly winner Haley Black. Black swam a 27.20 to win the 50, with Wilm clocking a 27.74. Bronze went to Libby Fox who trailed with a 29.25.
Following a 100 breast victory on Saturday, Richard Funk secured gold on Sunday with a 28.15. Funk took the top spot by over a second with Apollol Hess coming in at a 29.40 for silver and Aiden Luykenaar taking third with a 30.21. This is a season best for Funk, improving upon his already nation-leading 28.39 from October.
Two-time World Champs team member Carson Olafson took full advantage of 200 freestyle top-seed Jeremy Bagshaw’s absence at finals. Olafson, swam a 1:52.33 200 free for gold, ahead of Liam Dennett at a 1:57.79 for silver and Addison Butler at a 2:00.60 for bronze.
Olafson placed 14th at the 2016 Canadian Olympic Trials but this time around he will be much more competitive in the event. His December swim of 1:51.33 puts him at 6th in the nation this season, behind Markus Thormeyer, Davide Casarin, Ruslan Gaziev, Jeremy Bagshaw and Alexander Pratt.
In the women’s 400 freestyle, Chantel Jeffrey was the fastest as she hit a 4:23.91, leaving Ellie Maradyn to take silver with a 4:28.49, just ahead of Payton Kelly who took bronze in 4:28.97.
Josiah Binemma, who picked up 50 fly gold on the first night of the meet returned to become 100 fly victor, swimming a 52.90. This time for Binemma makes him the only Canadian this season to get under the 53-second mark, maintaining his top rank nationally this season. Jacob Gallant was the silver medalist tonight in a 59.22 and Samuel Pauch-Nolin was bronze in a 59.91.
Other Event Winners
- Women’s 100 Freestyle: Elizabeth Ling (57.72)
- Women’s 200 Backstroke: Ella Varga (2:16.11)
- Men’s 200 Breaststroke: Apollo Hess (2:22.20)
- Women’s 100 Breaststroke: Alicia L’Archeveque (1:12.08)
- Women’s 200 Butterfly: Kamryn Cannings (2:23.46)
- Women’s 200 IM: Hannah Bennett (2:24.50)
- Men’s 800 Freestyle: Will Bissett (8:59.40)
This weekend marked the end of in-season racing for a lot of Canada’s top swimmers as the final month of preparation get underway before 2020 Olympic Trials starts up on March 30th.