Canadian Trials... Day 5

The sprinting ladies finally take to the pool, after 4 days of watching the women's 100FR is today and the 50 tomorrow (odd scheduling to say the least).  Plus a lot of very interesting storylines to watch as events and spots on the Olympic team are running short...

EVENT 36:  MEN'S 100FL
Joe Bartoch remains the gold standard in this event in Canada, he's ready to be done but not until someone steps up to beat him.  No one is in his class right now in this field to chase him down.
Prediction:  Joe Bartoch wins and it won't be close.

EVENT 37:  WOMEN'S 100FR
Finally the lady sprinters get their shot and we'll see Victoria Poon (PPO) and rising youngster Chantal VanLandeghem (MANTA) race for their spots on the team.  Throw in a fast Julia Wilkinson (IS) and a confident Amanda Reason (ESWIM) and you have a good field.
Prediction:  Chantal VanLandeghem and Victoria Poon grab the two individual spots and Julia Wilkinson, Sinead Russell, and Amanda Reason go for relay spots.
SUDDEN DEVELOPMENT:  I'm writing this after I returned from coaching morning practice and honest to my notes and as I came back to check results, shockingly VanLandeghem fell apart on the 2nd 50 of her prelim swim and finished 13th and will only swim the B-Final.  WOW!

EVENT 38:  MEN'S 200BK
There are four legitimate players in this field -- Tobias Oriwol, Matt Hawes, Matthew Swanston, and Charles Francis.  Francis is more of a 100BK guy and already on the team, so that will leave Swanston trying to pull the upset and get by either Oriwol or Hawes when the conventional thinking is that those two men are going to fight it out to get onto the team.
Prediction:  Tobias Oriwol wins, Matt Hawes swims under the FINA A cut to send 2.

EVENT 39: WOMEN'S 200BR
Martha McCabe already has a nomination time from last summer's World Championships so she's set unless two people beat her time from last summer (not going to happen).  So that leaves a scramble for the second spot, including current world record holder in the 200BR Annamay Pierse, Tera Van Beilen (already on the team in the 100BR), Kierra Smith, Ashley McGregor, Tianna Rissling, and Jillian Tyler (already on the team after winning the 100BR).  Holy clusterfuck.  I desperately would like to pick an upstart like McGregor to steal the second spot away from Pierse but I just can't do it...
Prediction:  McCabe & Pierse

EVENT 32: WOMEN'S 800FR FINAL
After prelims yesterday there emerged an interesting field in the women's 800FR, all the important names are in... Brittany MacLean and Savannah King essentially tied, and later in the field Sherry Liu, Alexa Komarnycky, and a trio of Toronto ladies (UofT and/or TSC) Heather Maitland, Bridget Coley, and Zsofi Balazs.  Good strong field but after their performances in the 400FR I don't think anyone catches up to MacLean and King.
Prediction:  MacLean & King 1-2 and off to London.

EVENT 52:  MEN'S 1500FR (PRELIMS ONLY)
Ryan Cochrane pre-nominated.  Keir Maitland (KEYANO), ERIC HEDLIN (IS), and maybe a red-hot Alec Page (IS) will try to pull out a big best time and get under the FINA 'A' 15:11.83, but that will likely have to come in Finals tomorrow night.