Butterfly queen Jess Schipper is having a serious tilt at the world 200m record at this week's Pan Pac swim championships.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want it," Schipper said in a telephone hookup from Victoria, Canada, where the championships start on Thursday.

In a year bookended by the Commonwealth Games and the world championship trials, most of the big names are missing from the 42-member Australian team at the Pan Pacs, and the status of the meet has suffered accordingly.

It makes no difference to Schipper, who approaches every event with the intention of swimming a personal best.

If she does it this time, the odds are that she will break the existing benchmark of 2min05.61sec held by Poland's Otylia Jedrzejczak.

Schipper's PB is 2:05.65, a finger's length away.

"If I do a PB it could be that, or it might be my next PB. It's something I'm working towards."

Asked if it was a realistic goal this time, Schipper replied: "Yes, definitely I'd like to think so".

"But I am still really young and I have ages left to get it."

Unusually, the 200m butterfly is on the first day, which suits Schipper down to the ground.

"It will be a bit different. But I think it works better that way because you get the longer race over first and I can concentrate on my sprints later."

Schipper had no particular race plan, and was unconcerned about who will be in the pool alongside her.

"I usually just try and take it out as hard but as controlled as I can - really work that third 50 (metres) then bring it home - give it everything I've got," she said.

"I've been training very hard for this and tapering fully for it, so I will give it my best shot.

Schipper said she was unhappy that morning finals were now looking likely for the Beijing Olympics to suit American TV audiences, but thinks she may be in a better position to deal with it than some others.

"I'm not too impressed that it's come down to that, but everybody will be in the same boat if it goes through.

"So I guess we'll all just have to work out how to deal with it.

"We get up at quarter to four in the morning and we're in the water by 4.30, so I'm sure it won't be that early for me."

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