Pipes-Neilsen, Simonton and San Diego Relays Batter World Masters Marks in La Jolla

LA JOLLA, Calif., June 2. RECORDS fell again at the new Coggon Family Aquatic Center in La Jolla, California during the 30th Annual Long Course Pentathlon hosted by Coronado Masters on May 25.

The meet was held in memoriam for Bill Earley, the legendary Masters swimmer who passed away last 4th of July. All total, three new FINA world and five USMS records were broken during the meet.

Returning from the Speedo Grand Challenge at U.S.C. (where she set four USMS records over the course of two days), Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen, 41, lowered her own global standards for the 40-44 age group in both the 200-meter fly and 400-meter IM. In the fly, Pipes-Neilsen dropped almost a second with a time of 2:25.60, bettering her previous best of 2:26.47. In the IM, she swam a 5:12.56 taking over three seconds off the 5:15.73 she established in 2002.

Spry 85-year old Rita Simonton chopped 10 seconds off the 200-meter free record for the 85-89 age group with a quick 3:59.68. The old record was a 4:10.20 set by Marjorie Sharpe at the World Championships in 2002.

The San Diego Swim Masters relay team featuring Betsy Jordan, 65, Caroline Krattli, 41, Pipes-Neilsen, and Barbara Dunbar, 53 took a swipe at the USMS record book when they set three new USMS relay records in less than thirty minutes! The relay quartet smashed records for the 200+ category in the 400-meter medley, 400 and 800-meter free.

Under pressure to finish the meet and exit the pool, SDSM began their record assault by chopping over 15 seconds off the 400-meter free relay with a time of 4:47.14. The time bettered the previous best of 5:02.69 set by Gold Coast Masters in 2001.

Minutes later, the speedy quartet took to the starting blocks again and swam an amazing 5:13.65 400-meter medley, hacking over 25 seconds off the national mark of 5:39.12 established by Gold Coast Masters in 2001. Jordan led off with a 1:35.81 (back), Krattli 1:17.79 (breast), Pipes-Neilsen 1:07.67 (fly), and Dunbar 1:12.38 (free).

Running low on energy, but not enthusiasm, the final relay of the day featured the 800-meter free. Keeping the same order (so as to maximize rest), Jordan once again stepped up to race and the team swam their way into the record books with an awesome 10:19.41. The time obliterated Gold Coast Masters mark of 10:54.82 by over 35 seconds.

SDSM Relay 2003, women's record breakers on deck

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