The Distance Non-Free Virtual Challenge
Building on the proud legacy of the 1650 Borboleta
Ever wondered whether you could swim distance fly, back, or breast? Now’s your chance to find out! And to gain unparalleled bragging rights in the process!
The Distance Non-Free Virtual Challenge, which can be swum from May 1-June 30 each year, allows you to be timed, in your own SCY, LCM, or SCM pool, for any or all of nine events – 500, 1000, or 1650 butterfly, backstroke, or breaststroke. Then you can compare your times to others throughout the US!
Unless they opt out, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers in each category in each gender and age group (18-24 women, 25-29 men, 30-34 women etc.) receive a ribbon; all participants receive a “Distance Non-Free Challenge Survivor” button to proudly display on their swim parka, and ALL finishers of the 1650 fly, back, and breast, present *and past*, are eligible to receive a special Mile Fly, Mile Backstroke, or Mile Breaststroke patch. 1983-2019 finishers please contact the meet director, Leah Carroll, to receive yours. Patches are the same size as USMS Top 10 patches. Though they have adhesive, they are meant to be sewn on fabric such as your team swim parka.
History:
In the early 1980s, Rinconada Masters member Aldo da Rosa famously switched from freestyle to butterfly at the 150 mark to complete a 1650 in competition. Inspired by this event, from 1983-2019 (with the sole exception of 1998 when the pool was closed), the Rinconada Masters included a special event for competitors at their annual SCY meet to compete the 1650 fly. Records were carefully kept for every finisher and were displayed on their website for decades. (Here is Aldo da Rosa’s account of the early years and highlights of this competition).
Sadly, Rinconada Masters disbanded shortly before the pandemic, and the 1650 Borboleta was discontinued. However, one member, Oleg Milman, hung onto the records and history, and has passed them on to those of us who decided to resurrect the tradition as a virtual competition, now sponsored by Albany Armada Masters (Albany, CA) and which in 2023 included options for swimming a 500 or 1000 butterfly as well as a 1650 fly, and now includes 500, 1000, and 1650 fly, back, and breast. Bill Durell from MINN Masters not only obtained the records from Oleg but has also graciously covered the expenses for the patches and the initial setup of this competition.
Below please find links to this year’s results as well as all-time records, event rankings, and complete participant list. We hope to see your name on the list for future years!
Annual Results
2023 Distance Fly Virtual Challenge results
2024 Distance Non-Free Virtual Challenge
Records
Records for all Distance Non-Free Virtual Challenge events, covering 1983-2024
Butterfly-specific Documents
All fly results, 1983-2024, sorted by age group and time
1650 fly results by year, 1983-2024
1650 fly "Wall of Fame": all finishers,1983-2024, with # of swims completed, range of years
Backstroke-specific Documents
All backstroke results, 2024, sorted by age group and time
Breaststroke-specific Documents
All breaststroke results, 2024, sorted by age group and time
