By Kevin Donnelly, Swimming World College Intern.
The Cary Futures Championship Series is set to take place August 2-5 in Cary, NC. The meet features many up-and-coming talented swimmers from states ranging as far south as Florida to as far north as Michigan. The meet’s psych sheet shows that a lot of great swimmers and teams are set to compete in a multitude of different events. Here are a couple big things to keep an eye on this weekend as the meet gets set to take place.
Women’s Meet
Last year saw SwimMAC Carolina win the women’s meet in Nashville narrowly over Pine Crest Swimming. SwimMAC returns to the meet this year in their home state and looks to compete once again for the team title. Led by Janie Smith, who enters as the second seed in the 50 free, SwimMAC will have to fight against Pine Crest Swimming, as well as a multitude of other teams, in order to contend for the women’s title once again.
However, last year’s meet saw SwimMAC win both the women’s 400 free and 400 medley relays; this year, however, those relay teams are seeded second and eighth, respectively. SwimMAC also holds no top seeds on the women’s side, individual or relay. In order to contend for the team title, SwimMAC will need to find a way to take advantage of their depth.
The Marlins of Raleigh, who took sixth on the women’s side last year in Nashville, look to contend strongly for the women’s title. MOR boasts two top-seeded relay teams (the 400 free and 400 medley relays), and individually Ashley Worden is seeded first in the 200 fly by well over a second, at 2:15.61. Genevieve Joyce comes in as the second seed in the 200 breast (2:36.41), and MOR also has the second-seeded 800 free relay team.
Individually, there are a few intriguing names to follow. 13-year-old Michelle Morgan of Pipeline Swimming enters the meet with the top seed in the women’s 800 free (8:55.19) and 400 IM (4:55.05), as well as the third seed in the women’s 1500 free (17:19.66). Addison Smith of the Baylor Swim Club holds the top spot in the 200 free (2:03.87) and 400 free (4:19.99), while Brooke Zettle of the TAC Titans is seeded first in the 200 back (2:18.09) and 200 IM (2:18.49).
Men’s Meet
SwimMAC also won the men’s title last summer in Nashville, outpacing second-place Tennessee Aquatics by a score of 282-219. SwimMAC will once again have their hands full this year on the men’s side, as the team holds no top seeds in any event. Ike Atkinson leads the way for SwimMAC, entering as the third seed in the 200 free (1:54.80) and the fourth seed in the 400 free (4:03.62).
The Marlins of Raleigh and Dynamo Swim Club fought a tough battle against one another last year in Nashville, with MOR taking third by a score of 195-191 on the men’s side. There look to be a few good battles between the two teams once again this year – the men’s 800 free relay sees MOR with the top-seeded team, just one second ahead of Dynamo Swim Club’s squad sitting in second.
The Marlins of Raleigh hold an individual top seed as well, with Joshua Legge sitting as the first seed in the men’s 1500, with a time of 16:13.09. Alec Bowie of Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club and Cleveland State University, comes in seeded second at 16:14.25; Bowie holds the top spot in the men’s 800, at 8:27.53.
Dynamo Swim Club has two individual top seeds, with Campbell Auerbach entering as the first seed in the men’s 100 fly (54.74) and Owen Downs, a Cornell rising sophomore, coming in with the top spot in the 200 breast (2:21.32).
15-year-old Lance Norris of the nearby Rocky Mount Family YMCA looks to be a contender in multiple events. Norris is seeded first in the men’s 200 back at 2:05.65, over a second and a half ahead of the second seed. He also comes in as second in the 800 free (8:27.63), third in the 1500 free (16:15.43), sixth in the 400 IM (4:34.29), seventh in the 100 back (59.17), and seventh in the 400 free (4:05.52). Norris will undoubtedly contend for the High Point title at the meet, and could singlehandedly bring his team very high up on the standings, as he is the only Rocky Mount swimmer entered in the meet.
Many amazing races look set to occur this weekend, and all the competition begins tomorrow at 4pm EST with the women’s 800 free, the men’s 1500 free, and the women’s and men’s 800 free relays.