Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen Fires It Up In France; 10 FINA Masters World Records Fall

DUNKIRK, France March 4. KARLYN Pipes-Neilsen, 47, went on a record-breaking spree setting six FINA Masters world records in the 45-49 age division. She also was a member of three relay world records while competing in the French Short Course (25M) Masters Nationals held at the Paul Asseman Aquatic Center in Dunkirk, France Feb. 25–March 1.

Swimming for France-based Athletic Club Boulogne Billancourt (ACBB), Pipes-Neilsen began her tear into the record book with a speedy 1:05.61 100 IM, bettering her previous world mark of 1:06.39 set in December at the New England Championships, and almost two seconds faster than the world record of 1:07.49 she posted back in 2007.

In the 200 backstroke, Pipes-Neilsen smashed her world best of 2:22.53 by more than four seconds with a blistering 2:18.15 (splits 1:08.39, 1:09.76). Pipes-Neilsen's world record time for the 45-49 is now faster than her 40-44 record.

Rounding out the day, Pipes-Nelsen joined forces with her French ACBB teammates Sandra Bouchier, Carilie Mathias, Francoise Mignatelli to establish a 160+ world record for the women's 200 medley relay with a time 2:04.61. The time bettered the global standard of 2:05.00 set by Japan's Gold Rush in 2007.

Pipes-Neilsen's 30.34 50 back leadoff split was a lifetime best and bettered her own world record of 30.58 set in 2007.

In her second day of competition, Pipes-Neilsen once again took aim at lowering her own world marks starting with the 100 back. Splitting 31.78, 32.68 Pipes-Neilsen stopped the clock in a quick 1:04.46 to smash her posted world record of 1:06.44, but also bettering the time of 1:05.50 she swam at the IGLA Championships in June of 2008.

In the 400 IM, Pipes-Neilsen nearly cracked the 5-minute mark with an amazing time of 5:00.29. Her time chopped almost nine seconds off her global standard of 5:09.02 set in 2007, and her 45-49 record is now faster than her 40-44 record of 5:00.82 set back in 2002.

ACBB relay teams continued to assault the record book by establishing a global standard in 120+ mixed 200 free relay. The quartet of Sebastien Billon, Benoit Ferry, Sandra Bouchier and Pipes-Neilsen joined forces to swim a fast 1:41.47, bettering the previous world best of 1:41.72 set by Japan Gold Rush.

On the final day of competition, 35-year-old Stephane Meyer, swimming for Club Thionville of France, stole the show posting a blistering 55.24 for the 100 fly, slicing more than a half of a second off the 35-39 division world record of 55.85 set by American Jim Harvery back in 2001.

In the final event of the meet, ACBB broke one more relay world record bringing the total to three for the championship meet. In the 160+ mixed 200 medley, the relay team consisting of Jean Andre Mellado, Olivier Fayolle, Sophie Mordant and Pipes-Neilsen reunited to lower its world record with a time of 1:55.25, taking more than a second off its previous best of 1:56.35.

On the leadoff, Pipes-Neilsen's backstroke split of 30.31 was a lifetime best shaving a mere .03 off the global standard of 30.34 she set earlier in the meet.

Meet organizers were pleased with the success of the meet as in addition to the 10 FINA world records, 25 European and 93 French records were set.

Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen at 2009 French Nationals

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