Canadian Trials... Day 1 Primer

Trials begin tomorrow... here's a rundown of what to expect and some predictions meant to entertain and not put anyone down, because in the end I don't know how everyone has been training I just love swimming and find predictions fun and wish EVERYONE good luck in Montreal...

EVENT 1:  MEN'S 400IM
Jordan Hartney (VAND) is the top seed but the perceived battle should be between Andrew Ford (GMAC) and Alec Page (IS).  Out of the picture is long time Canadian medley staple Brian Johns so these leaves this field wide open but the FINA A cut is more then 2 seconds faster then Hartney's entry time and more then 4 seconds faster then the best time's of Ford and Page.  I don't see two men getting under the FINA 'A' cut so it's a winner take only spot situation.
Prediction:  Page (IS)

EVENT 2:  WOMEN'S 400FR
The top 5 seeds in this race are all very strong and capable of being under the FINA 'A' cut of 4:09.35.  The battle is between Alexa Komarnycky (IS), Barbara Jardin (PPO), Sam Cheverton (PCSC), Brittany MacLean (ESWIM), and Savannah King (VAND).  Anyone who says they know exactly how this one will play out is lying, this should be the most deeply contested event of the first day... may the best woman win, and may the second best be fast enough to also go to London.
Prediction:  Komarnycky (IS) Gold and MacLean (ESWIM) Silver and fast enough to go to London.

EVENT 3:  MEN'S 100BR
No one is entered faster then the FINA 'A' cut, which for my money makes this one of the events that could produce a surprise winner.  The veterans of the field are Scott Dickens (27), Mike Brown (27), Warren Barnes (26), and Paul Kornfeld (24) but the swimmer with the highest upside and who swam an adjusted 1:01.4 at the NCAAs last weekend for Michigan is KEYANO's Richard Funk.  Call me crazy, I'm picking the upstart funk to win and represent Canada but emotionally I will be cheering for Warren Barnes to step up and make the team.  I don't think anyone gets under the FINA 'A' cut so it's a potentially winner take only spot situation like the men's 400IM.
Prediction:  Funk (KEYANO)

EVENT 4:  WOMEN'S 100FL
One woman race, Katerine Savard is one of the best in the world at this event and she might post the best swim in terms of FINA points for all the women in the meet in this event.  FINA 'A' cut is 58.70, which is faster then any other Canadian woman's entry time but in this case I think someone else is going to get under the A cut and like the 100BR I'm going to take the younger swimmer to get there... I like 16 year old rising flier Noemie Thomas to finish second and get her passport to London stamped.
Prediction:  Savard (PPO) & Thomas (VAND)

EVENT 5:  MEN'S 200FR
The two best Canadian 200 freestylers are not even making an attempt at the 200FR at Trials and thus I don't like what's going on here.  The top seed, Stefan Hirniak should be looking forward to day 2 and the 200FL, but he might be good enough to win the 200 and earn his spot on the team before swimming his best event... Maybe... More likely is that last year's breakthrough freestyle swimmer Chad Bobrosky wins the 200FR.  Will enough swimmers go fast enough to qualify for a Canadian relay team in the 4x200 for London, from what I have been told... no.  Sadly.  I hope that a few people step up and prove the doubters wrong but it will take big swims from guys like Hirniak, Oriwol, and Cochrane who are at Trials to swim other more important events.
Prediction:  Bobrosky (CASC)

I will not profess to being an expert on PARA swimming, so I will recuse myself from making a prediction on the PARA 100BRs tomorrow.  Special good luck wish to my swimmer Malcolm Fairweather!  Go Malcolm!