Brent Bookwalter had his best stage of the Criterium du Dauphine on Thursday with a 12th place finish in the fourth stage. Bookwalter was part of a small peloton at the front of the race, just 21 riders deep, as he moved up five spots to 63rd overall, 6:17 back. For the first time in the race two Americans were in the top 50, Alex Howes was 46th, nine seconds back, while Benjamin King and Alexey Vermeulen made it four Americans in the top 100 for the first time.
The Criterium du Dauphine continues Friday with the first mountain stage, 87 miles, and the overall race continues until Sunday.
Last weekend at the ICF Slalom World Cup’s first stop of the year in Ivrea, Italy the US didn’t have any of their top athletes as none of the Olympic team members were present. That might have been reflected in the final standings as the US wasn’t able to advance anyone past the semifinals other than the new K1 cross event. Things will be a bit different this weekend as those Olympians will be competing in La Seu d’Urgell, Spain. All of the events begin on Friday with heats to qualify competitors for the semifinals which will take place on Saturday or Sunday depending on the event.
The Olympic athletes joining this week are Casey Eichfeld in the men’s C1, Eichfeld and Devin McEwan in the men’s C2, Michal Smolen in the men’s K1, and Ashley Nee in the women’s K1. They are joined by returning athletes from last weekend, most notably the two semifinalists from last weekend, Zachary Lokken in the men’s C1 (29th last weekend), Richard Powell in the men’s K1 (30th last weekend)..
Previous ICF Slalom World Cup Coverage: Ivrea Recap
The US women won their group at the 2016 Water Polo World League Super Final by notching a tight 12-10 win over Spain to finish 3-0 in the group stage. The US was the better side in both the first and second quarters as the outscored Spain 4-3 in each quarter. The third and fourth quarters were both even at 2-2. The US was led by four goals from Kiley Neushul while Maggie Steffens added three and KK Clark had two. Ashleigh Johnson and Sami Hill both played in goal with Johnson recording three saves and Hill recording two.
Russia ended up last in Group A after going 0-3 so they will be the US opponent in the quarterfinals. Russia has not been outclassed though, as Brazil was in Group B (GD -34), each of their three losses was by a single goal. In fact, Russia has the second best GD of all three teams in Group A. The US met Russia in this same stage last year and opened up an 8-0 halftime lead en route to a 17-6 win. Russia was the runner-up of this tournament in 2013 and won it in 2008. The possible semifinal opponents for the US are China and Canada.
Group B Results:
Tuesday – USA 20-2 Brazil, Canada 12-16 Spain
Wednesday – USA 11-8 Canada, Spain 10-6 Brazil
Thursday – USA 12-10 Spain, Brazil 4-16 Canada
Brent Bookwalter finished 38th in the third stage of the Criterium du Dauphine on Wednesday as part of an 88-man peloton. Bookwalter was able to raise his overall position to 68th and is still 6:26 behind the leader. Bookwalter, who is now the only American in the top 100 overall, has been the top American in all four stages so far this week. Chad Haga snuck into the top 100 for the first time in 96th.
The Criterium du Dauphine continues Thursday with a 109.4 mile hilly stage while the overall race continues until Sunday.
Iris Wang for the second straight event had a real close and competitive match but was unable to advance, losing in three games to He Bingjiao of China in Australia. Wang and Bingjiao traded the lead in the first game with Wang up 19-18 before Bingjiao got the last laugh by winning the last three points to take the game 21-19. In game two it was Wang with the late run coming back from down 17-15 to win six of the last seven points and take the game 21-18. In game three Wang never saw the lead and never was even after an early 3-3 score as Bingjiao pulled away for a 21-14 win. Wang was within one at 11-10 but after a 5-0 run by Bingjiao never got any closer than five points.
This was the last Super Series event before the Olympics, where Wang will compete for the US. The next Super Series event is in Tokyo, Japan starting September 20th.
The US women moved to 2-0 in the 2016 Water Polo World League Super Final with an 11-8 win over neighbors Canada. The US opened with a strong first quarter posting a 4-2 lead after eight minutes and increasing the lead to three, 8-5 at the break. Canada outscored the US 2-1 in the third quarter but the US reversed that scoreline in the fourth for the final 11-8 score. Melissa Seidemann had the lead with three goals for the US in the game while Maddie Musselman and Courtney Mathewson each added a pair. Sami Hill played in goal and stopped 12 Canadian shots.
The US faces Spain next to wrap up the group stage on Thursday. Spain is 2-0 as well in the group stage after defeating Brazil 10-6 so this will be for first place in the group. Russia at 0-2 is most likely to finish last in the other group while China (Russia’s opponent) and Italy are 1-1 and could finish third. The US will face one of those three teams on Friday in the quarterfinals. Everyone will play in semifinals and finals for positioning on Friday and Saturday.
Group B Schedule:
Tuesday – USA 20-2 Brazil, Canada 12-16 Spain
Wednesday – USA 11-8 Canada, Spain 10-6 Brazil
Thursday – USA vs. Spain, Brazil vs. Canada
Previous 2016 Water Polo World League Super Final Coverage: Preview Brazil Recap
Not all of the top American athletes are competing in Oslo on Thursday (namely Kendra Harrison and Justin Gatlin) but one who will be there is Michael Tinsley. The 400m hurdles competitor won the event the first two times it was contested earlier this year, in Shanghai and in Eugene, and will be going for three in Oslo. The man who finished right behind him in Eugene, Kerron Clement, will also be taking part. The only other American competing in Oslo who has won an event in the Diamond League so far this season is Joe Kovacs in the shot put. In addition to winning in Eugene Kovacs took third in Shanghai.
Other contenders for the US include Omar Craddock (third in triple jump in Eugene), Tianna Bartoletta (third in long jump in Shanghai), Brianna Rollins (second in 100m hurdles in Eugene and Birmingham), Jasmin Stowers (third in 100m hurdles in Eugene), Natasha Hastings (third in 400m in Shanghai and Eugene), and Michael Rodgers (third in the 100m in Shanghai).
Brent Bookwalter and Alexey Vermeulen managed top 100 finishes on Tuesday but neither one was near the leader as Bookwalter finished 5:30 back in 79th and Vermeulen was 93rd. This was the first hilly stage of the Criterium du Dauphine and it provided some separation over the 104.1 miles. Bookwalter remains the top American overall but dropped from 25th to 74th and is now 6:26 back overall. Vermeulen does remain in the top 100 overall as well in 92nd.
The Criterium du Dauphine continues Wednesday with a 113.1 mile flat stage while the overall race continues until Sunday.
The US women opened the the 2016 Water Polo World League Super Final with a dominant win over Brazil, 20-2, on Tuesday in Shanghai, China. The US jumped in front with four goals in the first quarter and seven more in the second. The lead grew to 15-0 before Brazil scored twice in the fourth quarter to take something from the game. Maddie Musselman was the leading scorer for the US with six goals while KK Clark added four and Kiley Neushul had three. Ashleigh Johnson had nine saves in what was nearly a shutout.
The US faces Canada next on Wednesday. Canada lost 16-12 to Spain on Tuesday. These two teams met in the intercontinental qualification tournament back in February with the US winning 14-4.
The group stage wraps up Thursday before quarterfinals on Friday. Everyone will play in semifinals and finals for positioning on Friday and Saturday.
Group B Schedule:
Tuesday – USA 20-2 Brazil, Canada 12-16 Spain
Wednesday – USA vs. Canada, Spain vs. Brazil
Thursday – USA vs. Spain, Brazil vs. Canada
Previous 2016 Water Polo World League Super Final Coverage: Preview
Joshua Richmond made it two finalists in two events for the US in San Marino and with just one miss in the final grabbed the first gold medal of the event for the US. Richmond had yet to make a final in 2016 but was certainly a contender in both previous events with top 10 finishes. He certainly looks like a potential Olympic medalist after the performance he had on Monday. Richmond posted the third highest score, a 140, in qualifying to reach the six-man final. In the semifinals Richmond was second best with a 28 and won a shoot-off against Qiang Pan of China to reach the gold medal match. There he defeated Germany’s Andreas Loew by hitting his first 28 shots and 29 of 28 overall to win by one. Walton Eller, also a 2016 Olympian, had two 25’s in qualifying and finished with a 134, four behind the sixth place finisher in 17th.
There are no competitions on Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday things resume with men’s and women’s skeet. Women’s skeet is a single day competition where 2016 Olympians Kimberly Rhode and Morgan Craft will participate. Both Rhode and Craft have great finishes this year, Rhode second in Rio and making the final in Nicosia while Craft won in Nicosia. Men’s skeet is a two day competition and the US will be represented by 2016 Olympians Vincent Hancock and Frank Thompson. Thompson posted a top ten finish in Rio while Hancock has reached both finals but failed to medal.