Butterfly Race Strategies: Race Strategies for the 50, 100 AND 200 FLY

Swimming World Magazine, Jun 2005 by Whitten, Phillip

Swimmers use different race strategies and tactics when they compete. They focus on different aspects of the race-from pace to breathing to streamlining to tempo to the underwater component of their race. Here, some of this year's outstanding NCAA Division II and III flyers share their winning strategies:

MEN'S 50 YARD BUTTERFLY

When Emory University junior Justin Hake mounted the block for his 50-yard sprint in the 200 yard medley relay, things looked bleak for Coach Jon Howell's charges. The team was mired in fifth place, but Hake uncorked a 21.74 split to move his team into second, trailing only perennial NCAA Div. III champ, Kenyan. The top two positions remained the same during the anchor leg, but when Kenyon's Lords were DQed for an illegal transition, Emory was awarded the gold.

"I knew we were behind the leaders when I got up to swim my leg of the relay, but I didn't know we were fifth. Anyway, it didn't matter. I focused first on getting a perfectly-timed start, then staying long and loose in the water. I could tell I was passing guys coming home, but I was surprised I gained that much. When Kenyon was deked, that was just icing on the cake. I think I'll swim a lot faster next year."

Coach Howell agrees: "Justin's a big, heavily muscled guy, and I don't think I tapered him long enough. Next year we'll get it right, and I have no doubt he'll swim significantly faster."

WOMEN'S 100 YARD BUTTERFLY

Cal State Bakersfield's Loni Burton, daughter of Olympic great Mike Burton, completed a perfect NCAA career this March, winning all three of her events at the Div. II Champs. The wins gave Loni a perfect 12-for-12 record in her four years. In the 100 yard fly, Loni's 54.10 just missed her Div. II record of 54.03 set last year.

"Before my races, I always go off on my own and think about my race, focusing on kicking long and hard off each wall. On the blocks, I talk to myself, saying, 'You can do it; you've swum this a million times.' I also remind myself that my parents will still love and support me no matter how I finish in the race.

"On the first lap, I try to do the full 15 meters underwater, then build the lap. Overall, I try to build the entire race, though I usually go out fast. I do 10 to 12 kicks on my side off each wall, so I am able to see the other swimmers. In this race, I had a comfortable lead the entire way, so I focused on doing all the little things right. My goal was to make the Div. I cut. I just missed it in the 100 fly, but I made it in my other events."

MEN'S 100 YARD BUTTERFLY

North Dakota's Fernando Alves, the defending NCAA Div. II champion, was confident as he stepped on the blocks for the finals of the 100 yard fiy, though wary of UCSD's Kurt Boehm, who had already won the 200 IM and would go on to take the 200 free and 200 fly as well. Seeded first, he knew this was his race to lose. As it turned out, the race wasn't really that close. Alves led all the way, gradually building his lead each lap. He finished in 47.95, more than half-a-second ahead of his closest challenger.

"My strategy in the 100 fly at NCAAs was the same as it always is: swim as fast as I can for the first 50 while keeping my stroke long; then, on the second 50, I shorten my stroke a little bit while increasing my stroke rate. I was aware that the race was close, but I never checked the other swimmers. I focused on my race and concentrated on getting to the wall first."

WOMEN'S 200 YARD BUTTERFLY

Marika Ross, 19, a freshman at Middlebury College (N.H.), hailing from Shorewood, Wis., became that school's first NCAA swimming champion when she surprised her eiders to win the 200 fly at Div. III NCAAs. Her time, 2:02.25, was a lifetime best and was faster than the winning Div. II time.

"I came inio the race seeded second, which is better than (being seeded) first. That means the pressure is on the other girl, the top seed. My strategy was to go out pretty strong, stay with the field through the first 100, then beat up on the third 50.

"I was third at the 50 and second at the 100, only 2-hundredths behind the leader. I made my move on the third 50 and gained about half-a-body length on the girl next to me (freshman Vanessa Williamson, Bates College). At the 150, I was feeling pretty good, confident that I could withstand any challenge.

"On the final lap, I began to feel tired and I knew she was gaining on me. But I stayed cool after realizing there was nothing I could do about her. All I could do was try to stay long and get my hands on the wall first. It was close, but I did. Afterward, I was tired, but very excited!"

MEN'S 200 YARD BUTTERFLY

Kurt Boehm, a 24-year-old German graduate student in engineering at UC San Diego, was named the NCAA Div. II Swimmer of the Year after he won the 200 free, 200fly and 200 M in 1:47.48, a DII record. Coach Scott McGihon, who noted that the 6-5, 225-pound Boehm carried a 4.00 GPA and is a true student-athlete, said that after Boehm qualified third, the two sat down to analyze the opposition and to determine how Boehm should swim the 200 fly. Their conclusion: he should swim within himself for the first 50, stretching it out, then build. Boehm said the strategy worked to perfection. Sixth at the 50, third at the 100 (51.48) and second at the 150, Boehm blew his opponents away on the final 50 to touch in 1:46.03 and win by over a second.