Monday, May 23, 2011

  Most potatoes launched in three minutes: Garrett Sweetland sets world record (Video)

Fountain Hills, AZ, USA -- Garrett Sweetland, 15, a freshman at Fountain Hills High School, used an air gun he built to launch 17 potatoes through the tennis racket target on the school's football field - setting the new world record for Most potatoes launched in three minutes .

  Photo: Garrett Sweetland, 15, a freshman at Fountain Hills High School, broke the world record for most potatoes launched in three minutes. He shot 17 potatoes through the target, beating last year's record of 14. Photo: Mary Beth Faller

 The Guinness world record for the Most model rocket launched simultaneously was set by Boy Scout Jacob Smith (USA), who simultaneously launched a total of 3,130 model rockets to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.

  Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the Largest simultaneous launch of sea kayaks: 303 kayaks, as part of the 'Kayak for a Cause' event from Calf Pasture, Norwalk, Connecticut, USA.

  Students in chemistry, physics and engineering classes created the compressed-air launchers out of PVC piping reinforced with duct tape.

  Sweetland's design incorporated a sprinkler head and bright-green tape. The launchers were fastened to tables and aimed at the tennis rackets, 6 feet 9 inches from the end of the launcher.

  Students had three minutes to shoot as many potatoes as they could. Volunteers kept time and count.

  Sweetland said it took two hours to build the gun, and he didn't practice before the competition.
  But he did practice at home with a potato gun that worked on combustion, in which hairspray is ignited. "That one blew a hole in the brick wall," he said.