A unique partnership between Welsh language broadcaster S4C and Guinness World Records has celebrated Wales’ national day, St. David’s Day March 1 by breaking a magnificent 7 Guinness World Records titles of human achievement across Wales.
Record-breaking feats have been taking place today and at the end of last week across the length and breadth of Wales under the scrutiny of Guinness World Records Adjudicators, and the records are being heralded by Guinness World Records (GWR) on their significant social media channels – taking Wales and the Welsh language around the world on St. David’s Day. Successful records will also feature in the Guinness World Records 2021 edition on sale in September. A programme produced by Cardiff-based Orchard and featuring each record- breaking attempt will be broadcast on S4C at a later date.
Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief at GWR said: “How better to celebrate St. David’s Day – and the Welsh spirit of adventure – than by attempting some Guinness World Records challenges? It’s a chance to put Wales on the record-breaking map and use those official certificates as a calling card to say to the rest of the world: “The Welsh are Officially Amazing!”
The World Records confirmed by Guinness World Records are:
Longest human archway relay on Aberystwyth Promenade
A feature of traditional Welsh folk dance, with 164 pairs taking it in turns to run through the human archway
Largest Welsh cake (30kg) in Carmarthen
The Welsh cake challenge involved Bake Off’s Michelle Evans-Fecci, Tan-Y-Castell Bakery, and Merched y Wawr
Fastest 50m pulling a narrowboat (female)
Nicky Walters at Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, the world’s tallest navigable canal aqueduct
Most candles extinguished by heel clicks in one minute
https://twitter.com/GWR/status/1234088793424191489
An impressive 55 by Tudur Phillips at Swansea Waterfront Museum, involving ‘Clocsio’, the traditional form of Welsh clog dancing
Largest Welsh folk dance
A ‘Twmpath’ involving some 287 pupils and adults at Pennard Primary School on Gower
Most football ‘hot stepper’ ball control tricks in one minute
56 ball control kicks in one minute by Cardiff’s Ash Randall at Portmeirion in Gwynedd, bouncing a football with the soles of his feet. Ash has already broken over 20 Guinness World Records titles
Most football (soccer) knee catches in 30 seconds
23 knee catches in 30 seconds by Ash Randall at Portmeirion, where the ball bounces from the floor, and is caught with Ash’s knee
Rhodri ap Dyfrig, Online Content Commissioner at S4C said: “It’s exciting for S4C to work alongside Guinness World Records in a series of record-breaking feats that are being broadcast digitally to the world on St David’s Day. We’ve broken several records throughout the day in various areas across Wales before ending in Aberystwyth for the Guinness World Records attempt at forming the Largest human archway relay.
“Working with Guinness World Records, we’re showing the world our language, culture and country on our national day of celebration.”
Guinness World Records began with a single book published from a room above a gym in 1955, and has grown to become a global multi-media brand, with offices in London, New York, Miami, Beijing, Tokyo and Dubai. Content is now delivered through Books, via TV shows, Social Media and Live Events.
Adrian Jones, Head of Production at Orchard said: “Working on a project like this one is a fantastic experience. Asking questions like what does it take to bake the world’s largest Welsh cake? are fun to ask. After all, Guinness World Records started out with the question what’s the fastest game bird in Europe? This is an amazing opportunity to produce content that showcases Wales to the rest of the world.
“Naturally there have been challenges – how you weigh a canal boat is one that particularly springs to mind – but where there’s a will there’s a way, and with the support of the whole production team at Orchard we’ve had an incredible St. David’s Day.”
