LONDON, November 12 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 200,000 people around the world came together today to break some wacky and wonderful records on the fifth annual Guinness World Records Day, which commemorates the day in 2004 when Guinness World Records became the world's bestselling copyright book.

Early results from record-breaking in Britain include the impressive come-back of 'Leicester's Ironman' Manjit Singh (59), who broke a hair-raising new world record for the furthest distance to pull a double-decker bus with hair (21.2 m - 8.5 tons) this morning in Battersea Park, London. Back in November 2007, his record breaking dreams were dashed when he failed to break the record for furthest distance to pull a double-decker bus with the ears which makes his comeback today even more meaningful. Manjit says: "I will never be discouraged by defeat because I know that success can be waiting around the next corner. The only way to get there is to try again and stay positive."

Also in the Capital, 112 commuters at St. Pancras International came together and set a record for the most people hugging for one minute while 'British Master's Squat Power Lifting Champion' Shaun Jones from Norwich grabbed the title for fastest hot water bottle burst (18.81 secs).

Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records Craig Glenday said "It's a wonderful feeling knowing that so many hundreds of thousands of people around the world are taking in part in fun, inspirational, courageous and awe-inspiring record attempts for Guinness World Records Day 2009. Irrespective of age, sex, culture, race or religion, wannabe record holders can share in the joy of record-breaking and at the same time raise money for charity, benefit from some mental and physical exercise, and get their names in the record books. Perhaps for just one day, the doom and gloom of regular news stories can be overshadowed by positive, uplifting good news"

Record-breaking mania hit not just the UK on Guinness World Records Day, as countries around the globe put their best foot forward with amazing record attempts such as the fastest vehicle crossing of the Egyptian western desert (13hr 33min) in Egypt, largest bikini parade (228 - Failed record attempt) in Australia, and various countries such as Afghanistan, UK, Mexico and Madagascar came together in one hot place for the record most nationalities in a Sauna (76 countries) in Finland. Elsewhere in Europe, The Italians demonstrated their pasta-eating skills in a new record for the fastest time to eat a bowl of pasta (1m30s) as well as their bike gymnastics breaking the record Longest platform-to-platform bicycle jump (4m 02). Meanwhile Norway got into the Christmas spirit early with the largest gingerbread man (651 kg). Across the Atlantic, the US celebrates Guinness World Records Day with records for the largest cheerleading dance (297) in Memphis, Tennessee and most people lassoing simultaneously (23) in Texas, not to mention Mexico where charity-minded record-breaker achieved a tenacious accolade for the longest paper clip chain by a team (in progress).

Now a global phenomenon, Guinness World Records Day commemorates the day in 2004 when the book became the world's bestselling copyright title with a hundred million copies sold. Any records set on Guinness World Records day are short-listed for inclusion in next year's edition of the book, which is currently enjoying a top position on the UK's bestseller list.

    
    Notes to Editor:

    RECORD RESULTS UK & IRELAND

    London

    - Most people hugging for a minute. 112 commuters at St. Pancras 
      International stopped and hugged for one minute in the early
      morning of the 12 November Guinness World Records Day.

    NEW RECORD: 112


    - Furthest distance to pull a bus with the hair. British ironman Manjit 
      Singh managed to set an 'impossible' record in central
      London by pulling a double-decker by his hair for 21.2m.

    NEW RECORD: 21.2m (8.5 tons)


    - Fastest time to recite the first verse of a song. Daniel from
      London recited the first verse of Madonna's True Blue in 7.91 seconds
      live on Heart 106.2 Breakfast with Jamie and Harriet

    NEW RECORD: 7.91 seconds


    - Longest conga on ice. Record attempt in progress at Alexandra Palace.

    Norwich, Norfolk


    - Fastest hot water bottle burst. The fastest time to blow-up a
      standard hot water bottle until it bursts is 18.81 sec and was achieved
      by Shaun Jones (UK) for Guinness World Records Day.

    RECORD: 18.81 secs
    Previous record: 51.98 secs


    RECORD RESULTS IN THE UNITED STATES

    Forth Worth, Texas

    - Most People Lassoing Simultaneously. The Most People Lassoing
      Simultaneously is 23 set by attendees at the Stockyards Championship
      Rodeo, Fort Worth, Texas on 9 October 2009.


    NEW RECORD: 23

    Memphis, Tennessee

    - Largest Cheerleading Dance The Largest Cheerleading Dance had
      297 participants and was achieved by the Universal Cheerleaders
      Association in Memphis, Tennessee on 7 November 2009.

    RECORD: 297

    Previous Record: 225

    New York, New York

    - Largest Cup of Hot Chocolate. The Largest Cup of Hot
      Chocolate consisted of 4 gallons of chocolate (cup measured 14 inches
      wide and 11 inches tall) and was achieved at Serendipity 3 in New York,
      New York on 9 November 2009.

    NEW RECORD: 4 gallons

    - Largest Collection of Lipstick Prints. The record for the
      most lipstick prints collected in 12 hours is 1817 achieved by
      Cosmopolitan Magazine and Maybelline New York, at an event held across
      locations in New York City on 11 November 2009

    NEW RECORD: 1817

    INTERNATIONAL RECORD RESULTS:

    China

    - Fastest Time to Ascend a Sand Dune on a Motorcycle. Tao
      Yongming (China) set a new record for the fastest time to ascend a sand
      dune on a motorcycle by driving his motorcycle to the top of Bilutu 
      Peak in Badanjilin desert, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, in 
      6 minutes 2 seconds.

    NEW RECORD: 6 minutes 2 seconds.

    Australia

    - Largest male swim wear parade and Largest Bikini Parade
      (mixed). 235 people in their swim wear (including 144 men wearing
      'budgies') descended on the Opera House in Sydney. Unfortunately they
      didn't achieve a record. The record for the largest swimwear parade
      remains 281.
    - NO RECORD

    New Zealand

    - Longest Distance to Spit a Champagne Cork (5m). Alistair
      Galpin spat a champagne cork 5m on Guinness World Records Day.

    NEW RECORD: 5m

    - Furthest distance to blow a malteser. Alistair Galpin used a
      straw to blow a malteser 11 metres and 29.5 centimetres on 12 November,
      setting a new Guinness World Record

    NEW RECORD: 11m and 29.5cm

    - Furthest distance to blow a coin. The furthest distance to
      blow a coin is 37.6cm set by Alistair Galpin in Auckland on the 12
      November

    NEW RECORD: 37.6cm

    Egypt

    - Fastest vehicle crossing of the Egyptian western desert. The
      fastest vehicle crossing the Egyptian western desert is 13 hr 33 min 
      and was achieved by Hesham Nessim (Egypt) between Siwa Oasis, and Abu 
      Simbel in Egypt, on 10 November 2009

    NEW RECORD: 13 hours and 33 minutes

    Mexico

    - Longest paper clip chain by a team. The Dibujando un Mañana
      Foundation in Mexico broke a record for the longest paper clip chain by 
      a team.

    IN PROGRESS

      Previous Record: A paperclip chain measuring 35.63 km (22.14 miles) 
      long was completed by 9th grade students from Eisenhower Junior High 
      School, Taylorsville, Utah, USA on 26-27 March 2004.

    Lebanon (Beirut)

    - Tallest matchsticks model. The tallest matchstick model was
      achieved by Mr. Toufic Daher (Lebanon) at City Mall, Beirut, Lebanon on
      11 November 2009. The model measured 6m 53cm and used approximately 6
      million matches (150 boxes, each with 40,000 matches)

    RECORD: 6m 53cm

    Previous Record: 3.98 m (13 ft) tall

    - Largest collection of model cars was achieved by Mr. Nabil
      Karam (Lebanon) in Zouk, Beirut, Lebanon on Guinness World Records Day
      2009. Mr Karam instructed the witnesses to stop counting at 22,222.

    NEW RECORD: 22,222 cars

    Germany (various locations)

    - Most concrete blocks broken. The record for the most concrete
      blocks broken in a single stack with the elbow whilst holding a raw egg
      in the hand of the arm is eleven. This achievment was done by Joe
      Alexander from Hamburg, Germany, at Zeisehallen in Hamburg, Germany on 
      11 November 2009 as part of Guinness World Records Day 2009.

    NEW RECORD: 11

    - Highest distance climbed on darts (on wall). Maiko
      Kiesewetter from Hamburg achieved the record for the highest wall climb
      on darts with 5 meters. The attempt took place in Hamburg, Germany at
      Zeisehallen on 11 November as part of Guinness World Records Day 2009

    NEW RECORD: 5 meters high

    - Most dominoes stacked on single piece. Record holder
      Maximilian Poser will be attempting to break his own record for 
      Guinness World Records Day 2009. The event will take place at Kino in 
      der KulturBrauerei, Schönhauser Allee 36, 10435 Berlin.

    - IN PROGRESS


    Albania (Tirana)

    - The largest paint brush mosaic. The largest paintbrush mosaic
      measured 10m by 2.6m and was achieved by Saimir Strati on 11 November
      2009 in celebration of Guinness World Records Day.

    NEW RECORD: 10m by 2.6m

    Norway (Oslo)

    - Largest gingerbread man. The largest gingerbread man weighed
      651 kg (1,435 lb 3 oz) and was made by IKEA Furuset (Norway) in Oslo,
      Norway.

    NEW RECORD: 651 kg (1,435 lb 3 oz)

    Previous record: 593.53 kg (1,308 lb 8 oz)

    Finland (Helsinki)

    - Most nationalities in a sauna. The record for the most
      nationalities in a sauna is 76 and was achieved by the University of
      Haaga Helia in Helsinki, Finland for Guinness World Records Day in
      November 2009.

      Some of the nationalities included: Afghanistan, Chile, Iran, Vietnam,
      Ghana, Jamaica, Madagascar, Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia, Venezuela, 
      Honduras, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ireland, US, UK, Finland and 
      Spain.

    NEW RECORD: 76

    Previous record: 57

    - Fastest 40m human wheelbarrow race

      The record for the fastest 40m human wheelbarrow race is 17 seconds
      achieved by Adrian Rodrigues Buenrostro (Mexico) and Sergiy Vetrogonov
      (Ukraine) in Helsinki, Finland for Guinness World Records Day in 
      November 2009.

    NEW RECORD: 17 seconds

    Italy (Milan)

    - Longest platform-to-platform bicycle jump. The longest
      platform-to-platform bicycle jump was 4m 02 achieved by Vittorio 
      Brumotti (Italy) in Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy for Guinness World 
      Records Day in November 2009.

    NEW RECORD: 4m 02

    Previous Record: 2.95m

    - Fastest time to eat a bowl of pasta. The fastest time to eat
      a bowl of pasta was achieved by Ernesto Cesario (Italy) in 1 minute 30
      seconds, Ristorante Sant'Eustorgio, Milan, Italy for Guinness World
      Records Day in November 2009.

    NEW RECORD: 1 minute 30 seconds


    - Longest pizza dough stretch. The largest pizza base spun in
      one minute is 42cm diameter achieved by Geris Mohsen (Italy) in
      Ristorante Sant'Eustorgio, Milan, Italy for Guinness World Records Day 
      in November 2009.

    NEW RECORD: 42cm diameter

    France


    - The most translated comic book. The Adventures of Asterix
      created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo (France) in 1959 is the most
      translated comic book in the world. Translated in 111 languages and
      dialects, Asterix sold 320 million copies worldwide. Uderzo was awarded 
      a certificate on 6th November in celebration of Guinness World Records 
      Day 2009.

    NEW RECORD: 111 languages and dialects

    Denmark


    - Fastest time to peel and eat 3 lemons. The record for the
      fastest time to peel and eat 3 lemons was 28.5 seconds achieved by Jim
      Lyngvild on the set of Go'Aften Danmark (Denmark) on 6 November, in
      celebration of Guinness World Records Day 2009.

    NEW RECORD: 28.5 secs

    Previous Record: 54.9 secs


    - 12th November - 8.44: The fastest person with a pricing gun.
      This record will be attempted live on the TV show "Go'morgen Danmark"
      (TV2) by 3 different bookstores sales persons. 

    IN PROGRESS

      Previous record: The record for the most books priced in one minute is
      29, and was achieved by Mari Mohede Berg (Sweden) at the Nordstan 
      Shopping Mall, Gothenburg, Sweden on 24 November 2007.

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