Alastair Galpin Explained

Alastair Galpin
Birth Place:East London, South Africa
Education:National Diploma in Forestry (Port Elizabeth Technikon, South Africa)
BSc in Human Geography (University of Auckland, New Zealand)
Occupation:Breaking world records, environmental supporter
Family:Norman Galpin, father
Relatives:Ernest Edward Galpin
Credits:Second Biggest World Record Breaker of the Decade 2000–2009 (Guinness World Records)
Url:http://www.worldrecordchase.com

Alastair Galpin (born 1974, East London, South Africa) is the 2nd biggest Guinness World Records breaker of the 2000s decade,[1] breaking 38 World Records, behind Ashrita Furman. He immigrated to New Zealand in 2002, and says that his career in Record Breaking was inspired when he met champion rally driver, Simon Evans, in Kenya in 1998.

World records

Alastair Galpin has broken over 85 world records for feats including having the most snails on the face (eight in 10 seconds[2]) and the most rubber-bands stretched over the face (62 in one minute). He also holds the most stamps licked (57 in one minute),[3] loudest clap, and the fastest time to peel and eat three kiwifruit.[4] [5]

Galpin is also the holder of the Guinness World Record for the most hugs in one hour in Civic Square, Wellington, New Zealand on 13 July 2007 (624 hugs)[6] and achieved three new Guinness World Records at the Guinness World Records Day 2009 for Champagne-cork spitting, coin blowing, and Malteser (malt ball) spitting.[7]

Along with New Zealander Don Purdon, Galpin commenced an attempt at the longest hand-shake at 8 pm EST on Friday 14 January 2011 in New York Times Square. After 33 hours, three minutes, they had smashed the existing record by more than 17 hours[8] [9] [10] and shared the record with Nepalese brothers Rohit and Santosh Timilsina.[11]

EventRecordLocation and Date
The loudest clap 113 dBA University of Auckland, New Zealand, 2 November 2008[12]
The fastest time to butter 10 slices of bread 52.42 seconds Pt Chevalier, Auckland, New Zealand, on 3 December 2009[13]
Longest full-body massage 25 hours 4 minutes South Kalimantan, Indonesia, November 2015
The furthest champagne cork spit 7.23 m Fremantle, Perth, Australia, November 2013
Tallest silverbeet plant 363.5 cm Auckland, New Zealand in 2008[14]
The most high fives in one minute 76 Trusts Stadium, Waitakere, Auckland, New Zealand, on 14 November 2009[15]
The most lit candles in the mouth 8 Lo Show dei Record, Milan, Italy, on 15 March 2011[16]
Largest bottle cap sculpture (shared) 19,205 caps Auckland, New Zealand in 2010[17]
The most gloves put on one hand in one minute 13 Britomart Transport Centre, Auckland, New Zealand, on 12 November 2009[18]
The most baseballs held in the hand (palm down) 4 Old Homestead, Auckland, New Zealand, on 28 April 2007[19]
The most side jumps (alternating each leg) achieved in a minute 90 The Warehouse shop in Sylvia Park, Auckland, New Zealand, on 27 October 2007.[20]
Furthest surface journey in a male chastity device 4,894.6 km Borneo, Indonesia, in November 2014
Most M&M pretzels moved with a straw in 1 minute 62 Auckland, New Zealand, on 24 September 2012
Largest cartoon (shared) 862.8 square metres Auckland, New Zealand in November 2006[21]
The farthest coin flick 12.11m (39.73feet) Britomart Transport Centre, Auckland, New Zealand, on 12 November 2009[22]

Charitable awareness raising

Galpin seeks to raise awareness – and sometimes raise funds – for social and environmental causes.[23] He uses various methods to spread knowledge of environmental issues, including referring to issues of global concern in his website's stories,[24] and during his motivational storytelling in schools.[25]

His opinion piece, titled 'Human Application of Consciousness' – while not directly related to world record-breaking, explains Galpin's drive to contribute to the struggle for a truly sustainable future for mankind and other life on earth. He does so by collaborating with non-profits and organisations on projects of varying degrees of social and environmental importance.[26]

Among his more noteworthy charitable efforts are the greatest height to drop gambling machines as a statement against gambling harm,[27] the largest bowl of soup (shared) to show healthy eating in disadvantaged communities,[28] and the most radio interviews in a suspended cage to bring media attention to the issue of problem gambling.[29]

Unusual feats

His activities were played down by some US websites covering "most ridiculous" and "least impressive" world records[3] and he has also attracted US television coverage for similar reasons.[30] Among other print media, The Citizen has featured his work.[31]

External links

Notes and References

  1. [Guinness Book of World Records]
  2. Web site: Snails ooze into record book. Fairfax New Zealand. 31 January 2009. 21 September 2010.
  3. Web site: A life less ordinary. Bridgeman. Shelley. 8 November 2008. The New Zealand Herald. 21 September 2010.
  4. A Brief History Of Guinness World Records . Altman . Alex . 14 November 2008 . . 21 September 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100919112129/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0%2C8599%2C1859037%2C00.html . 19 September 2010 . dead .
  5. Web site: Record breaker hugs the limelight . . 21 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110613221822/http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_national_story_skin/1229997 . 13 June 2011 .
  6. Web site: No Need For Drugs When You Have 624 Hugs. Smith. Kelly. 13 July 2007. Scoop. 21 September 2010.
  7. Web site: Guinness World Records Day 2009. Guinness World Records. 21 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100617040511/http://community.guinnessworldrecords.com/_Guinness-World-Records-Day-2009/video/842873/7691.html. 17 June 2010. dead.
  8. Web site: Longest Handshake: Team New Zealand and Team Nepal set world record . Worldrecordsacademy.org . 18 January 2011 . 5 August 2012.
  9. Web site: Kiwis break world record for a handshake . 17 January 2011 . . 16 September 2011.
  10. Web site: World record handshake holders . 19 January 2011 . . 16 September 2011.
  11. http://www.allheadlinenews.com/briefs/articles/90031342?%20Nepali%20brothers%20share%20world%20record%20for%20longest%20handshake
  12. Web site: Guinness World Records . 29 January 2011 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174501/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Loudest-clap/112835.htm . dead .
  13. Web site: Guinness World Records . 29 January 2011 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303205540/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Fastest-time-to-butter-10-slices-of-bread/121738.htm . dead .
  14. http://worldrecordchase.com/records-stories/tallest-silverbeet-plant2008.html Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  15. Web site: Guinness World Records . 29 January 2011 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232939/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Most-high-fives-in-one-minute/122144.htm . dead .
  16. Web site: Guinness World Records . 29 January 2011 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222937/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Most-lit-candles-in-the-mouth/122148.htm . dead .
  17. http://worldrecordchase.com/records-stories/largest-bottle-cap-rugby-ball-sculpture2010.html Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  18. Web site: Guinness World Records . 29 January 2011 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033115/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Most-gloves-put-on-one-hand-in-one-minute/122151.htm . dead .
  19. Web site: Guinness World Records . 29 January 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233151/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Most-baseballs-held-in-the-hand-(palm-down)/107348.htm . 3 March 2016 . dead .
  20. Web site: Guinness World Records . 29 January 2011 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215848/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Most-side-jumps-in-one-minute/108202.htm . dead .
  21. http://worldrecordchase.com/records-stories/largest-cartoon2006.html Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  22. Web site: Guinness World Records . 29 January 2011 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303205348/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Farthest-coin-flicking-distance/122147.htm . dead .
  23. Web site: Alastair – Guinness World Records Member – Home of the Longest, Shortest, Fastest, Tallest facts and feats . Community.guinnessworldrecords.com . 5 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111005033713/http://community.guinnessworldrecords.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=1597368&as=7691&b= . 5 October 2011 . dead .
  24. Web site: Achieving the Guinness World Record™ for the Most AA batteries held in the hand: 44 | Alastair Galpin . Worldrecordchase.com . 5 August 2012.
  25. Web site: Storytelling – world record breaker Alastair Galpin . Worldrecordchase.com . 5 August 2012.
  26. http://worldrecordchase.com/opinionpiece.html Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  27. http://worldrecordchase.com/records-stories/greatest-height-drop-gambling-machine2007.html Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  28. http://worldrecordchase.com/records-stories/largest-bowl-of-soup2008.html Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  29. http://worldrecordchase.com/records-stories/most-suspended-radio-interviews2009.html Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  30. Web site: Kiss, Cook, and Dance for World Record's Day. ABC News. 21 September 2010.
  31. Web site: The Citizen Online | For the record – Lifestyle . Citizen.co.za . 5 August 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120123110258/http://www.citizen.co.za/citizen/content/en/citizen/lifestyle-features?oid=252418&sn=Detail&pid=146849&For-the-record . 23 January 2012 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Alastair Galpin".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.