EXECUTING UNDER PRESSURE THE KEY FOR JASON LEZAK’S CALI CONDORS IN ISL FINAL

The International Swimming League Grand Final brings a level of intensity, pressure and expectation that far exceeds anything the four clubs competing have experienced through the regular season.

The stakes have increased in both prize money and prestige, as all four want to be crowned the first-ever ISL champions.

But, while competing under the bright lights of Las Vegas, one of the keys to performing at their peak will be to continue doing what got them there in the first place.

“The strategies haven’t changed for the final,” said Cali Condor general manager Jason Lezak, a four-time Olympic gold medalist. “It is no secret the success of our team relies on doing well on relays and skins where the points are doubled and tripled.”

For Lezak’s Condor team, back-to-back single-digit losses against Energy Standard and the LA Current is a motivating factor as they come in as the only club in the final who has yet to get in the win column.

“After falling short by only a few points to both Energy Standard and LA Current during the season, I am hopeful we can beat them in the final,” he said.

Two of the keys to improvement in their fourth and final match will be utilizing a full roster and minimizing their low-scoring swims.

“To have more depth in certain events and limit the amount of sixth-eighth place finishes,” said Lezak when asked where he wants the club to improve the most.

“Having a full line up will be great to give some the rest they need to perform at their best in other events.”

Although many of the athletes have alluded to the fact that they’re going to have a full rest in an attempt to peak for the final, Lezak kept his cards close to his chest on whether or not that was something his entire club would be doing.

“Everyone will have to wait and see!,” he said.

And with the sport taking a giant leap forward with the ISL, introducing a new era in swimming, winning the inaugural championship title is something highly coveted.

“I would be very excited as the GM who put the team together to win the first-ever ISL Championship,” said Lezak. “We have a very strong team and are capable of making this happen. 

“All four teams have the talent, it is just a matter of who steps up and performs when it counts.

About the ISL: The International Swimming League is a global professional swimming competition launching in 2019 with teams in both Europe (Italy-based Aqua Centurions, France-based Energy Standard, Hungary-based Iron, and London Roar) and the United States (Cali Condors, DC Trident, LA Current, NY Breakers). The inaugural season will include matches in Indianapolis IN, Naples ITA, Lewisville TX, Budapest HUN, College Park MD, London GBR, and the championship finale at the 3,800-seat Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. The ISL aims to create groundbreaking projects, in both form and content, exploring the full potential of competitive swimming while securing sustainable commercial growth in the sport.

Key Dates:

5-6 October 2019 – IU Natatorium, Indianapolis, USA

12-13 October 2019 – Aquatic Swimming Complex, Naples, Italy

19-20 October 2019 – The LISD Westside Aquatic Center, Lewisville, Texas, USA

26-27 October 2019 – Duna Area, Budapest, Hungary

16-17 November 2019 – Natatorium at the Eppley Recreation Center, Maryland, USA

23-24 November 2019 – London Aquatic Centre, Great Britain

20-21 December 2019 – Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, USA

ISL SOCIAL: Keep up with all the latest ISL news by following @iswimleague on Instagram and Twitter and @internationalswimmingleague on Facebook. Visit https://isl.global

Media Contact: James Mulligan ([email protected])  

International Swimming League Ltd

Alfred-Escher-Strasse 17, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland