The 2023 Guinness Book of World Records eccentric and epic as ever

The 2023 book of Guinness World Records is out – and as always it includes some epic and unusual achievements that have broken records around the globe in the past year, including a couple right here in Australia.

While only sporting achievements are tested at an event like the Olympics, the Guinness World Records measure achievements in all sorts of weird and wonderful arenas, from natural phenomena*, like high achieving animals, to human creations, like the world’s longest bridge.

The fastest group to race 20m while in a three-person tower formation was achieved by Australians Jordan Steffens, Shani Stephens and Josh Strachan in 11.20sec in Adelaide on November 15, 2021.

An Adelaide resident also holds the world record for the fastest female to walk 10m on her hands – while holding a 10kg medicine ball between her legs, no less. This title was claimed by Celeste Dixon in 10.55sec on December 20, 2021. As if that weren’t enough, Ms Dixon set a second world record by completing the highest number of aerial silk front saltos* in 1min23sec on December 13, 2021.

The tallest living domestic cat is Fenrir Antares Powers, an American feline from Michigan that measured 47.83cm on January 29, 2021.

And there must be something funny in the water in that US state, because the tallest dog ever recorded by Guinness was a male dog that also hailed from Michigan, setting his record back on October 4, 2011. The mighty Great Dane named Zeus* measured 1.118m and remains the all-time king of canines.

In an oddly fitting Guinness coincidence, the newly crowned tallest living dog is another American Great Dane called Zeus. Measuring in at 1.046m, Zeus II has not quite scaled the heights of his namesake* champion, but he is bigger than the previous living dog record holder, who was a UK male of the same breed named Freddy.

And there’s good news for kids: this year includes a special section for those under 16 – no grown ups allowed. If you fancy a shot at the record books, here are some safe and silly suggestions for a record attempt at home:

• Most paper planes to land in a bucket in three minutes

• Most socks put on one foot in 30 seconds (up to over your ankle and they can’t rip while you do it). The current world record is 15, held by Italian Alberto Ugolini

• Fastest time to stack a 20-brick Lego tower. You need to stack alternate bricks at a 90 degree angle. The current world record is 21.70 seconds, held by American William Liu.

Many more wacky and wonderful ideas can be found on the official website at guinnessworldrecords.com

GLOSSARY

• phenomena: things that exist and can be seen, felt, tasted and so on
• silk front saltos: flips or forward somersaults in aerial gymnastics
• Zeus: the king of the gods in Ancient Greek mythology
• namesake: a person or thing with the same name as another person or thing

EXTRA READING

Giant strawberry sets world record

The amazing kids setting world records

World's biggest spud is a dud

QUICK QUIZ

1. How long did it take three Adelaide residents to run 20m in a three-person tower formation?
2. How far did Ms Dixon walk on her hands with a medicine ball between her legs?
3. Which breed dominates the tallest dog category?
4. What is the name of the tallest living domestic cat?
5. What does the current tallest living dog have in common with the tallest dog ever recorded?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Mini book of records
Create your own mini Guinness Book of Records with an illustrated picture for each of the world records mentioned in this news story. Leave a few pages blank at the back of your book for the extension activity!

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Visual Arts

2. Extension
Add a section for “Class Records” to your mini book. Try out the activities at the end of the news story or come up with some of your own that members of your class can compete against each other in, to become class record holder. Add these records to your book.

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Personal and Social Capability; Visual Arts

VCOP ACTIVITY
A new Guinness world record!
It’s time to break a world record, or at least try.

Today your focus is on oral language. You are going to have a go at commentating a quick event.

The goal of the commentator is to keep the crowd entertained while building excitement and suspense, as well as presenting the facts of the event.

Have a look at a few of the under-16 options and see which one you think you or a friend might have a chance of beating.

Decide if you will be the record-breaker or the commentator.

Before you begin, write down a few facts about the event and the participant. The commentator will use this to help commentate on the event.

Set up the event and a camera to record (if you like). You only have a short amount of time, so make it entertaining.

Now swap roles and see how you go in your new job.

Discuss the language the commentator used and how they spoke in order to be entertaining. Could you write that way? Would it be entertaining if the whole story was written that way? Why/why not? Would it have more impact to use this strategy only in a section of the text? When would you use it to create the most impact?