Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen Nabs Another Masters World Record

By Eric Neilsen

KONA, Hawaii, July 6. WHILE competing at the Summer Fun Long Course meet held in Kona, Hawaii on June 20, Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen, 47, added one more 45-49 age group FINA Masters world record to her already full cache.

Swimming the 200-meter butterfly, Karlyn split 1:10.76/1:13.58 to stop the clock in a speedy 2:24.34 slicing almost three seconds off the previous best of 2:27.33 she set back in 2007. Pipes-Neilsen's time also eclipsed the current 40-44 WR of 2:24.78 set by Susan von der Lippe.

For the past 3-1/2 months, Pipes-Neilsen has traveled the globe competing both Masters and U.S. swim meets in France, Canada, Florida, California and Hawaii culminating in 13 World and U.S. Masters Swimming national record-breaking performances as well as three lifetime bests.

"It was really an experiment," Pipes-Neilsen said about her 10 meet shave and taper schedule. "I thought it would be a good challenge. I have never tried to do anything like this before."

The key to Pipes-Neilsen's success she believes is both mental and physical.

"I love getting up on the blocks and racing," she said. "Even after swimming
55 events I was still having a lot of fun!"

As for the physical aspect, Pipes-Neilsen has trained consistently for the past 16 years and has built a solid base that she can tap into for peak performance.

"Since 1993, I have only taken two one-week breaks, so I knew that I had the endurance to hold a long taper and still race really well."

Not one to sit idle, when Pipes-Neilsen was not racing she had a busy schedule hosting 27 Aquatic Edge Faster Freestyle swim technique clinics in every place she visited.

"I put a great deal of energy into every clinic and that can be draining at times. However, the positive feedback I get from the swimmers and triathletes is amazing and that makes it all worthwhile. I also make a lot of new friends."

For more about Karlyn and Aquatic Edge, visit aquaticedge.org.

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