The 2008 International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA) swim meet went out with a huge splash this year as over 150 swimming records fell during the four-day event.

Swimmers from around the world descended on Washington, DC this past weekend for the annual event, which this year was hosted by the District of Columbia Aquatic Club (DCAC) and the Washington Wetskins water polo team.

Swims by Glenn Mills, a 1980 Olympian, and Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen from San Diego Swim masters, highlighted that discipline’s events, which were held at the Eppley Recreation Natatorium at the University of Maryland, College Park. Mills and Pipes-Neilsen combined to break six FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation) Masters world records. Additionally, more United States Masters Swimming (USMS) and FINA world records dropped at this meet than any other previous IGLA championship.

Mills, who raced for the Arizona Masters team, competed in the 45-49 age bracket and broke the short course worlds records for the 200 IM, the 100 breaststroke and the 200 breaststroke.

In the 200 IM he raced to a 2:13.42 finish, while he finished his breaststrokes in 1:05.74 and 2:22.68, respectively.

Pipes-Neilsen also swam in the 45-49 age division and also swam her way to three records. She broke the world masters records in the 800 freestyle (9:20.08), the 100 IM (1:06.80) and the 100 backstroke (1:05.55).

In addition to the six FINA records, 16 short course USMS records were shattered and an impressive 130 IGLA records fell. According to WonKee Moon, the meet’s Tournament Director, one of the most impressive and emotional races of the meet came when Margaret Camp set the IGLA record in the 50 mete freestyle. Camp touched the wall with a time of 1:48.20, and at 88 years of age, she was the oldest competitor in this year’s meet and set the record in her age group.

In the end, the host team prevailed as DCAC captured their ninth IGLA Large Team title. DCAC’s 2,736 easily topped the second place team, Team Florida (1,794 points), which was last year’s gold medal winner. Third place went to New York Aquatics, with a total of 1,419 points.

The Long Beach Grunions defended their title in the Medium Team division, with a total of 815 points, while West Hollywood Aquatics swam to second place finish with 713 points. Different Strokes San Diego rounded out the top three for the Medium Tams with 519 points. Small Team winner was Fort Lauderdale Aquatics, which marked its first title, followed by the Red Tide of New York City and the Sacramento Masters.

Over at the Takoma Community Center in Washington, DC, home to this year’s water polo tournament, the men of West Hollywood Aquatics took home their 11th IGLA championship, defeating the Queer Utah Aquatics Club (QUAC) in a 7-3 match. This showdown was a rematch from last year, when QUAC went home with the title.

On the women’s side, the Triggerfish out of Toronto were crowned the women’s water polo champions.

For more information about the IGLA championships and for a complete list of results, please log on to IGLA.org.