Olympic and world championship team member Victoria Poon of Montreal posted victories in the women’s 50-metre freestyle and 100 freestyle on Sunday to conclude the Canada Cup swimming competition at the Olympic Park Pool.

Poon fell short of her Canadian record in the 50 freestyle but still won in 25.55 seconds. Natasha Moodie of the U.S., was second in 25.63 and Hannah Riordan of Montreal third in 25.69.

About an hour earlier, Poon had prevailed in the 100 freestyle with a 55.82 clocking with Sandrine Mainville of Montreal second in 56.67 and Sinead Russell of Oakville, Ont., third in 56.60.

Other winners in women’s competition included Riordan in the 50 backstroke and Audrey Lacroix of Montreal in the 200 butterfly.

On the men’s side, the top Canadian performances were victories by Mathieu Bois of Montreal in the 50 breaststroke and Warren Barnes of Toronto in the 200 breaststroke.

The Etobicoke Swim Club swept gold in the men’s and women’s 4X100 medley relay races. The men’s team members were Gleb Suvorov, Bogdan Knezevic, Wil Wright and Hassaan Abdel-Khalik. The women’s team members were Brittany MacLean, Amanda Reason, Tasha Trustcott and Lauren Earp.

The competition, which included a strong American contingent, was another key preparation for the Canadian swimmers for the all important Summer Nationals July 28-31 in Victoria. Those nationals will the last opportunity for Canadian swimmers to earn a berth for the Pan Pacific Championships August 18-22 in California.

A featured event at the Canada Cup event in Montreal this year is the Para swimming races for swimmers with a disability.

On Sunday, Stephanie Dixon of Victoria collected wins in the 50 backstroke and 100 backstroke, Benoit Huot of Montreal took silver in the men’s 50 backstroke and 100 freestyle and Rhiannon Henry of Montreal was third in the women’s 100 freestyle.

Canada’s Para swimmers are tuning-up for the world championships August 15-21 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

 

Gabrielle Soucisse of Montreal put the brakes on American Elizabeth Beisel’s gold medal run at the Canada Cup swimming competition on Saturday with a victory in the women’s 50-metre backstroke at the Olympic Park Pool.

Soucisse, a member of Canada’s world championship team last year, won the race in 29.76 seconds. Beisel, up to four gold medals at that point, settled for silver in 29.78 while Hannah Riordan, originally from Cornwall, Ont., and now based in Montreal, third in 29.98.

It was overall a strong night for the Canadian women who took six of the seven races against a strong contingent from the U.S.

Katerine Savard, 17, of Quebec City won the 100 butterfly in 59.98 upsetting Canadian record holder Audrey Lacroix of Montreal second in 1:00.21.

Victoria Poon of Montreal, Canada’s top sprint freestyler took the 50 freestyle in 25.68 with Natasha Moodie of the U.S., second in 25.76 and Riordan and Marie-Pier Ratelle of Quebec City tied for third in 26.06.

Other winners were Ashley McGregor of Pointe-Claire, Que., in the 200 breaststroke, Stephanie Horner of Beaconsfield, Que., now based in Toronto, in the 400 freestyle and Etobicoke Swimming in the 4X100 freestyle relay,

Highlights for the Canadian men were Tobias Oriwol of Toronto and Matt Hawes of Ottawa placing second and third in the 100 freestyle, Warren Barnes and Marco Monaco, both of Toronto, doing the same in the 200 breaststroke and Etobicoke and Pointe-Claire, Que., also 2-3 in the 4X100 freestyle.

A featured event at the Canada Cup event in Montreal this year is the Para swimming races for swimmers with a disability. Benoit Huot of Montreal earned silver medals in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM and bronze in the 100 freestyle.

Also with bronze were Camille Bérubé of Gatineau, Que., in the 100 freestyle, Rhiannon Henry of Montreal in the 100 butterfly and Valérie Grand’Maison of Montreal in the 50 freestyle.

Canada’s Para swimmers are tuning-up for the world championships August 15-21 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

Competition ends Sunday.