She first found herself in the limelight against past year EHF Champions League winners Viborg HK: with only a few seconds left and trailing by one on aggregate goals, she hit a penalty shot, giving a dramatic and unexpected victory over their highly-rated rivlas on away goals.
Viborg FF | Viborg, Denmark | Viborg | Viborg Municipality | Viborg HK |
In the 2007/08 season Karlsen got a competitor for the line place when the German line player Anja Althaus came to Viborg HK from her former club, German Trier.
He was reappointed as coach for Viborg HK's elite women, and again he showed his excellence: The team became national champions for four consecutive years and reached the final in the 2001 EHF Champions League.