PR 74 - SWC 2015: Hosszu and Van der Burgh are first cluster winners

The second leg of the FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup 2015 saw 36 nations battled it out in Paris-Chartres (FRA) on August 15-16.

Hungarian star Katinka Hosszu and South-African legend Cameron Van der Burgh emerged as first cluster winners with respectively 162 and 96 points. However Chad Le Clos, also from South-Africa, was the leader of the Paris-Chartes rankings with 60 points.

Katinka Hosszu topped the 100m and 200m free and the 200m and 400m IM in Paris-Chartres while Cameron Van der Burgh proved the strongest in the 100m breast, a repeated victory from the Moscow leg. Nicolas Fink (USA), who won 200m Breaststroke on Day 1, placed second in front of Cody Miller (USA).

Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) won the 1500m freestyle (fifth time in his career). The second fastest man was Jan Micka (CZE).

A very consistent Camille Lacourt (FRA) remained unbeaten in the 50m and 100m backstroke while Pavel Sankovich (BLR) took silver and Wen Zheng Quah (SIN) bronze.

Among the women’s competition, Germany’s Franziska Hentke won the juicy 200m butterfly in 2:06:58, beating Cammile Adams (USA) who touched home in 2:06:73.

Lindsay Vrooman (USA) was the fasted in the 400m freestyle as she surpassed Lauren Boyle (NZL) in the last stretch to leave her second.

Vitalina Simonova (RUS) took gold in the 200m breast in 2:25:26.

In the 100m backstroke, probably the strongest event in terms of competitors on Sunday, Emily Seebohm (AUS) led in 58.91. Katinka Hosszú (HUN) and Missy Franklin (USA), two fierce competitors were on the second and third steps of the podium.

Alia Atkinson (JAM) triumphed in the 100m breaststroke in 30.85 as Katie Meili (USA) was just behind in 30.95.

In France this weekend, South Africa collected a total of six gold medals, three on Day 1 and three on Day 2. That is one more than Hungary (5) and France (5) and two more than United States (4).

The FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup comes back on September 25-26 for the third leg in Hong-Kong.

Winners in Paris-Chartres (FRA):

50m free: Men – Josh Schneider (USA), 22.11; Women –Anna Santamans (FRA), 24.78
100m free: Men – Mehdy Metella (FRA), 48:69  ; Women – Katinka Hosszu HUN), 54.30
200m free: Men – Daniel Smith (AUS), 1:46.50 ; Women – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 1:56.06
400m free: Men – Jan Micka (CZE), 3:50.54 ; Women – Lindsay Vrooman (USA), 4:07.16
800m free: Women – Lauren Boyle (NZL), 8:26.46
1500m free: Men – Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 15:04.98
50m back: Men –  Camille Lacourt (FRA), 24.75; Women – Natalie Coughlin (USA), 27.65
100m back: Men – Camille Lacourt (FRA), 53.39; Women – Emily Seebohm (AUS), 58.91
200m back: Men – Chad Le Clos (RSA), 1:57.81; Women – Daria Ustinova (RUS), 2:07.43
50m breast: Men – Cameron Van der Burgh (RSA), 26:74 ; Women – Alia Atkinson (JAM), 30.85
100m breast: Men – Cameron Van der Burgh (RSA), 58.97; Women – Alia Atkinson (JAM), 1:07_03
200m breast: Men – Nicolas Fink (USA), 2:08.89; Women – Vitilina Simonova (RUS), 2:25.26
50m fly: Men – Chad Le Clos (RSA), 23.23; Women – Béryl Gastaldello (FRA), 26.35
100m fly: Men – Chad Le Clos (RSA), 51.04 ; Women – Madeline Groves (AUS), 57.98
200m fly: Men – Chad Le Clos (RSA), 1:54.18; Women – Franziska Hentke (GER), 2:06.58
200m IM: Men – Hiromasa Fujimori (JPN), 1:59.39; Women – Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 2:10.19
400m IM: Men – David Verraszoto (HUN), 4:27.05; Women – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:35.80

The best 3 swimmers of the ranking of the FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup 2015 after the second leg are:

Men
1.    Chad Le Clos (RSA), 60 points
2.    Cameron Van der Burgh (RSA), 48 points
3.    Nicolas Fink (USA), 39 points

Women
1.    Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 81 points
2.    Emily Seebohm (AUS), 54 points
3.    Natalie Coughlin (USA), 39 points