
All Canada Ring victory for Quebec's Deslauriers at the Continental
CALGARY – Canadian veteran rider Mario Deslauriers jumped to victory in Sunday's final 5-star competition of the Continental CSI5-star, ending a week of Irish domination at Spruce Meadows.
Calgary's Kara Chad and Igor GPH finished second in the All-Canada Ring finale in the $500,000 Duncan Ross Grand Prix.
Twenty-five horse/rider combinations took on Canadian FEI course designer Peter Grant's 14-obstacle (17 jumping effort) track, with six qualifying for the jump off.
The podium was rounded out by Ireland's Conor Swail and Casturano who had wins earlier in the week.
'I've been coming to Spruce since I was 14. So make the math, I'm 60 now,' said Deslauriers of Quebec, who rode S&L Quarto van de Meeputhoeve.
'It's a long time. I gained a lot of experience and (there are) a lot of ups and downs here, but it's a great facility, best in the world.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025.
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Toronto Star
3 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Why Summer McIntosh's Canadian record in the 800 freestyle was so impressive at the swim trials
VICTORIA— Summer McIntosh set a world record Saturday nigh t, and didn't set a world record Sunday night, and it was hard to tell which swim was more impressive. No, wait: it was Sunday's. The 18-year-old Toronto phenom smashed the record in the 400 freestyle Saturday, and uncharacteristically smashed the water with her fist afterward. She didn't expect to swim 3:54.18, breaking the record by 1.15 seconds. Do you know how fast Summer McIntosh has to swim to surprise herself? Sports McIntosh sets world record in 400M freestyle at Canadian Swimming Trials VICTORIA - Swimming star Summer McIntosh of Toronto set a world record in the 400-metre freestyle event on Saturday while competing in the Bel… Sports McIntosh sets world record in 400M freestyle at Canadian Swimming Trials VICTORIA - Swimming star Summer McIntosh of Toronto set a world record in the 400-metre freestyle event on Saturday while competing in the Bel… 'I mean, going into tonight, I knew that my training has been really, really strong these past couple months, and I knew I was able to do something special,' McIntosh said after the race at the Commonwealth Place pool in suburban Victoria. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'So to do that, I'm really happy with it, but I did not think I would be that fast in the race. It did not feel like that. So touching the wall, you can kind of see my outburst of emotion, because I was really not expecting that time.' Sunday night was a different window into the greatest swimmer Canada has seen. There were four races McIntosh was definitely swimming at these Canadian trials: the 400-metre freestyle, the 200 butterfly, and the 200 and 400 individual medleys. Her fifth race was intriguing. She signed up for the 200 backstroke and the 200 freestyle, but chose something else: the 800 free. The 800 is more of a pain race than the intermediate distances, and requires different training. And it's a race dominated by Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female Olympic swimmer in history. Yes, McIntosh became the first person in 13 years to beat Ledecky in the 800 in 2024, but Ledecky swam what for her was a relatively desultory 8:17.12 to Summer's 8:11.39. Yes, McIntosh swam 8:09.86 in February, the 11th-fastest 800 in history. But the top 10 times — including her sixth world record in the event, 8:04.12, set in May this year — belong to Ledecky. McIntosh usually doesn't swim this race. She finished 11th and failed to make the final at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo at age 14, and has those two 800s from the last year on her resumé. But her four individual Olympic medals in Paris were in 200- and 400-metre races. This was rare. 'You don't see many swimmers decide to go up (in distance),' said McIntosh's coach, renowned Frenchman Fred Vergnoux. 'You know, Ledecky is the best distance female athlete in swimming ever, so far. Maybe we look in 10 years and we say, 'OK, well, Ledecky used to be, and now it's Summer, I don't know.' (But) I don't think this way. I don't put any energy in this. Summer doesn't put any energy on this. Amateur Sports Summer McIntosh wins Northern Star Award on same day she claims another world record The Toronto swimmer was a heavy favourite going into Tuesday's debate given her thrilling performances at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Amateur Sports Summer McIntosh wins Northern Star Award on same day she claims another world record The Toronto swimmer was a heavy favourite going into Tuesday's debate given her thrilling performances at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 'What we want to do is make sure that we're good on a daily basis.' This race is supposed to be just a little outside McIntosh's comfort zone, but maybe she doesn't have a comfort zone. McIntosh was ahead of Ledecky's record pace at 400 metres Sunday, and at 500 metres. By the 600 mark, she was one one-hundredth of a second ahead; with 50 metres to go, she was seven one-hundredths of a second behind. It was right there. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW But Ledecky's final 50 in her record swim was an astonishing 28.46, after which she wept, her body wracked by sobs. Vergnoux jokingly told McIntosh if she didn't swim a 28 in the final leg she would have to swim the race again tomorrow, but Summer doesn't have that kick yet, that endurance. She churned so hard, finishing the last 50 in 29.34. Her time of 8:05.07 was the third-fastest women's 800 in history. And mostly, it seemed like McIntosh tried to hide her annoyance that it wasn't faster. 'I mean, I think for me, I'm always shooting to break records and push the boundaries of the sport but, overall, have to be happy with the best time,' she said. 'I mean, I'm always trying to be faster and faster, but I think that just gives me more fuel to the fire heading into (the world championships in) Singapore and through my training.' The women's 800 in Singapore might be the race of the meet. McIntosh spent the last six months training in France with Vergnoux, upping her distance capacity. Of the 800 she said, 'I'm still learning how to swim it … I knew I was probably close to the world record, but I had no idea where I was (in terms of time).' McIntosh might set more world records this week: She already holds the record in the 400 IM. But she called the third-fastest time in history in a race she doesn't really know how to swim, which is owned by the greatest female swimmer of all time, a good learning experience, and she was right. Whatever else she does this week, it will be hard to be more impressive than that.


Toronto Sun
5 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Star swimmer McIntosh sets world record in 200-metre individual medley
Published Jun 09, 2025 • 1 minute read Canada's Summer McIntosh, of Toronto, celebrates with her gold medal won in the 200m women's individual medley final during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, in Nanterre, France, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. Photo by Christinne Muschi / The Canadian Press VICTORIA — Summer McIntosh set a world record in the 200-metre individual medley at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials on Monday night. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The 18-year-old from Toronto won the race in 2 minutes 5.7 seconds. That broke the old mark of 2:06.12 set by Hungary's Katinka Hosszu in 2015. McIntosh won a gold medal in the event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, to go with her victories in the 400 IM and 200 butterfly. Read More It was the second world record in three days for McIntosh, who won the 400-m freestyle in 3:54.18 on Saturday. That broke the old mark of 3:55.38 held by Australia's Ariarne Titmus. She broke her own Canadian record in the 800-m freestyle Sunday. Her time of 8:05.07 shaved almost five seconds off her own Canadian record and was the third fastest time ever, 0.95 of a second off the world record American legend Katie Ledecky set in May. McIntosh also holds the 400 IM world record, plus the 400 free, 200 butterfly and 400 IM in the short-course pool. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto Blue Jays Olympics Ontario Columnists Canada


Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Star swimmer McIntosh sets world record in 200-metre individual medley
VICTORIA – Summer McIntosh set a world record in the 200-metre individual medley at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials on Monday night. The 18-year-old from Toronto won the race in 2:05.70. That broke the old mark of 2:06.12 set by Hungary's Katinka Hosszu in 2015. McIntosh won a gold medal in the event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, to go with her victories in the 400 IM and 200 butterfly. It was the second world record in three days for McIntosh, who won the 400-m freestyle in 3:54.18 on Saturday. That broke the old mark of 3:55.38 held by Australia's Ariarne Titmus. She broke her own Canadian record in the 800-m freestyle Sunday. Her time of 8:05.07 shaved almost five seconds off her own Canadian record and was the third fastest time ever, 0.95 of a second off the world record American legend Katie Ledecky set in May. McIntosh also holds the 400 IM world record, plus the 400 free, 200 butterfly and 400 IM in the short course pool. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025.