Guinness World Records (GWR), are celebrating 70 years as the global authority on record-breaking achievements. It all started with a pub question “What’s the fastest game bird in Europe?”, a query that inspired the very first Guinness World Records book, compiled in a room above a London gym and published on 27th August 1955.
That single volume sparked worldwide curiosity about extraordinary feats, and GWR has since authenticated thousands of records in sport, technology, the human body, super skills and collections.
To mark the moment, GWR are celebrating record holder achievements and milestone moments over the last 70 years, including a handful of record holders who have been positively impacted by record breaking in their lives:
Liz West (UK): Largest collection of Spice Girls memorabilia – 5000
Elizabeth (Liz) West is an artist from Manchester, UK and has been collecting Spice Girls memorabilia since 1996 when the band first emerged on the pop scene. Initially Liz just collected albums, magazines and sticker books but after a year of chart successes she started buying singles and masses of official merchandise.
Liz’s record was initially approved in 2011, with her extensive collection of Spice Girls memorabilia totalling 2066 pieces earning her a place in GWR history. Since 2011, Liz has continued to build out her collection and on a recount this year she has more than doubled it with a total of 5000.
Liz’s career as a successful artist has some cross over with her collection, with her colour pallet being inspired by the 90’s and the Spice Girls’ era.
Liz said: “Holding the Guinness World Records title has allowed me to continue publicly exhibiting my collection nationally and internationally.
“In the early days of my career, my collection gave me the opportunity and ultimately allowed me to work full-time as an artist, which was always my dream.
“Being part of Guinness World Records 70th anniversary celebrations is wonderful and a huge honour. To be chosen amongst all the records globally ever made is incredibly touching – Girl Power!”
Colin Furze (UK): Fastest pram/stroller – 86.04 km/h (53.46 mph) & Fastest bumper car/dodgem – 161.476 km/h (100.336 mph)
Colin Furze is a self-taught inventor and engineer known online for his ambitious builds in his home workshop. A five-time Guinness World Records title holder and the current holder of two titles, Furze is recognised for bringing bold, unconventional ideas to life.
Colin said: “One of the things I always think is that a Guinness World Records title makes a project, no matter how crazy or weird, it kind of gives it a social relevance and people get behind you and want you to do well.
“I look at the certificates I’ve earned as achievements of the projects I have seen through from start to finish, I thought of it, planned it, built it, drove it and it became record-breaking!”
Zaila Avant-Garde (US): Most bounce juggles in one minute with four basketballs – 255
Zaila Avant-garde, 18, is a student from Louisiana, USA. Zaila began practicing these basketball tricks at age five. When she attempted the record titles at 13, the practice and skill shone through.
After breaking three record titles, she said “It’s empowering to know that you’ve just accomplished something that nobody else in the entire world has ever done before.”
Since breaking those GWR titles, Zaila says her life has “significantly changed.” She recalls: “I was pretty much a random little kid in Louisiana who was a little known on Instagram for juggling basketballs and not much else. At that time, getting the record was simply a personal accomplishment of which I was deeply proud.”
Since achieving her Guinness World Record titles, she has gone on to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee, become a New York Times bestselling author with her book “It’s Not Bragging If It’s True”, and was named Sports Illustrated Kids’ 2021 SportsKid of the Year. She says that her GWR titles propelled her to achieve these milestones and she notes that being a record holder adds a “level of spiciness to my life story.”
Najee Richardson (US): Farthest backflip between hanging ropes – 5.79m (19ft), Farthest double backflip between hanging ropes – 3.73 m (12 ft 3 in), Farthest lache (bar to bar) swing – 5.56 m (18 ft 3 in) , Highest lache (bar to bar) swing – 2.286 m (7 ft 6 in) & Farthest distance lache cat leap (bar to wall) – 4.90 m (16 ft 1 in)
Known as Spiderman to his friends and family, former American Ninja Warrior competitor Najee Richardson has the athleticism, passion, and drive of a true superhero. Between years of gymnastics and strength training for the American Ninja Warrior obstacle course, he believed he had what it takes to multiple Guinness World Records titles.
His GWR titles are specific skills he utilizes on the course. Each type of skill involves precision, strength, and determination to get to the next obstacle. In the case of his record attempts, he has achieved the farthest distance of each swing or flip, which requires another level of power and stability combined.
Najee said: “I think it’s really cool just to set a goal for yourself, a seemingly impossible goal that you can set for yourself to achieve.
“Something that pushes you pass your limit and that you can become the very best version of yourself, whatever field you’re in. I think having Guinness World Records title as a motivation is cool, because you’re doing something that no one else has ever done before and how many people can say that?”
Bryan Berg (US): Tallest playing card structure – 7.86 m (25 ft 9 in)
Architect Bryan Berg first achieved the Guinness World Records title for the tallest playing card structure in 1992 and hasn’t stopped leveling up card stacking since. Building every house of cards without glue, wiring, or metalwork, each record he’s achieved defies what was thought possible.
He’s a card-stacking pro. Bryan achieved this title 8 times between 1992 and 2007, taking the title back twice within that time and reaching new heights with each build. His grandfather taught him how to stack cards between matches at card tournaments at age eight. He was inspired to build bigger structures, which continues to fuel his creativity and love for the craft.
Bryan said: “The tallest playing card structure is a testament to a certain kind of engineering that I really enjoy, every card is a strategic placement based on how I want it to look or how it needs to work.
“Back in 1992, when I first achieved the record and got into the Guinness World Records book, it really paved the way for me to be able to basically spend my life doing what I love. I’m really honoured to be a part of Guinness World Records 70th anniversary, we’ve grown old together!”
Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday said: “As we mark the 70th anniversary of the release of our first edition back in the 1950s, we’re proud to be building on 70 amazing years as the global curator of superlative facts and achievements.
“We’ve seen so many iconic moments, the most amazing feats of strength and skill and endurance from talent across the globe and long may it continue. We’re now looking forward and celebrating the current – and next! – generation of record breakers.
“We want everyone to be part of it, whether that’s using our new record selector tool or having a go at one of our 70 unclaimed records, they are there for the taking!”
To inspire the next wave of achievers, GWR has identified 70 unclaimed record titles that have never been set – all fun, accessible, and open for anyone to claim.
Highlights include:
· Fastest 400 m sack race
· Farthest distance to bounce a coin into a cup
· Farthest distance bottle flip
· Fastest time to build a five-storey playing-card pyramid
· Most high fives in 30 seconds
The full list appears in notes to editors.
GWR is also launching the brand-new Record Selector, a short, dynamic online quiz at guinnessworldrecords.com that will match personality types to record titles they could attempt. Whether you’re a curious thinker, bold performer, focused planner or thrill seeker, there’s a title ready to be broken.
History At A Glance
For 70 years, Guinness World Records has inspired awe and ambition through stories of exception human achievements and extremes of the natural world, documenting everything from scientific discoveries to sporting achievements, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
· Origins (1955): 27 August 1955: First Guinness Book of Records was published
· Publishing Impact: 155 million copies of the book sold worldwide to date
· Beyond The Book: GWR content now spans TV series, live events and digital platforms, reaching billions of views each year
View an 80 second origin story of GWR here: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/about-us/our-story
View our timeline here: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/about-us/our-story/timeline
Ready to learn more about our 70th anniversary celebrations and how you can be part of it and break a record of your own? You can find out more here:
www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gwr70
Official List of the 70 Unclaimed Guinness World Records Titles
| · Farthest distance bottle flip |
| · Farthest distance by leapfrog jumps in one hour (team) |
| · Farthest distance football (soccer) volley crossbar hit |
| · Farthest distance swimming in 24 hours (team) |
| · Farthest distance to bounce a coin into a cup |
| · Farthest standing jump forwards (female) |
| · Fastest 10 km three legged (mixed) |
| · Fastest 10 m holding a balloon between the knees |
| · Fastest 400 m wearing swim fins (male) |
| · Fastest 400m sack race |
| · Fastest 4×100 m egg and spoon relay race |
| · Fastest hole of golf by a team of two (male) |
| · Fastest relay 50 x 50 m (mixed) |
| · Fastest time to arrange a set of Scrabble tiles in alphabetical order |
| · Fastest time to blow a stamp 10 m |
| · Fastest time to build a castle in Minecraft survival mode with a mouse and keyboard |
| · Fastest time to build a five storey playing card pyramid |
| · Fastest time to clear a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos (team of two) |
| · Fastest time to flip a tyre over 50 m |
| · Fastest time to flip ten water bottles |
| · Fastest time to ice/frost 100 cupcakes (individual) |
| · Fastest time to make a burrito |
| · Fastest time to make a loom band bracelet |
| · Fastest time to make a pasta necklace (Under 16s) |
| · Fastest time to push an orange 100 m with the nose |
| · Greatest height to drop an egg without breaking |
| · Greatest height to flip a bottle |
| · Highest coin toss |
| · Longest duration to balance a spoon on the nose |
| · Longest duration to keep a balloon in the air with the feet |
| · Longest duration to keep five balloons in the air |
| · Longest duration to keep five balloons in the air (team of two) |
| · Longest marathon playing air guitar |
| · Longest paperclip chain in one minute |
| · Longest paperclip chain in three minutes |
| · Longest time in a straight arm abdominal plank position (female) |
| · Longest time to hold the bridge pose (yoga) |
| · Longest videogame marathon playing Roblox |
| · Most alternate forehand/backhand hits with a tennis racket against a wall in 30 seconds |
| · Most anchovies eaten in one minute |
| · Most balloons blown up in one minute (Under 16s) |
| · Most cinemas visited in one month |
| · Most coffeehouses visited in one month |
| · Most coins balanced and snatched off the elbow (no drops) |
| · Most crown cap bottles opened with one hand in one minute |
| · Most drink cans crushed with feet in one minute (female) |
| · Most drink cans crushed with feet in one minute (male) |
| · Most eggs cracked in 30 seconds with one hand (team of two) |
| · Most eggs stacked in one minute |
| · Most fortune cookies eaten in one minute |
| · Most hair elastics (bobbles) in a persons hair in one minute |
| · Most headbands/sweatbands worn at once |
| · Most high fives in 30 seconds |
| · Most kisses in 30 seconds by a pair |
| · Most leapfrog jumps in one hour by a team of two |
| · Most leapfrog jumps in one minute by a team of two (Under 16s) |
| · Most origami cranes made in three minutes (Under 16s) |
| · Most seat drops on a trampoline in one hour |
| · Most shoelaces tied in a bow in one minute (team of two) |
| · Most stackable potato based crisps eaten in one minute |
| · Most table tennis balls held in one hand |
| · Most treats balanced on a dog’s nose in 30 seconds |
| · Most T-shirts put on in 30 seconds (individual) |
| · Most T-shirts put on in one minute (individual) |
| · Most water moved by the hands in 30 seconds |
| · Most water moved using a sponge in one minute (team of two) |
| · Most whoopee cushions sat on in one minute by a team of two |
| · Tallest stack of dice in one minute (team of two) |
| · Tallest stack of Guinness World Records books in 30 seconds (individual)· Fastest time to ascend the height of Everest by bicycle |
