Thursday, April 28, 2011

  Blind water-skier Steve Thiele sets new blindfolded distance record (Video)

LONDON, UK -- Steve Thiele, a 45-year-old Barclays IT engineer from Audley, England, travelled 38.4km (23.85 miles) around Anglesey in an hour - setting the new world record for water-skiing the longest distance in open sea while blindfolded.
Photo: Steve Thiele broke the Guinness world record for water-skiing the longest distance in open sea while blindfolded when he went 23.85 miles around the island of Anglesey in an hour. Photo: FPNW ( enlarge photo )

  The previous Guinness time/distance world record was 32km (20 miles).

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the greatest distance travelled while water skiing on two bare hands: 259 m (849.7 ft), set by Tony Castro (USA) in Sacramento, California, USA.

  'Its great to get a world record and I am very happy to have completed the challenge,' said the 45-year-old.

  And thanks to his online profile, Thiele also raised thousands of dollars for cancer research and building schools in Ghana .

The 45-year-old from Audley in Staffordshire is blind – but he had to wear a blindfold in order to comply with Guinness World Records regulations.

  Mr Thiele has been blind since falling from a tree when he was eight and damaging his optic nerve.

  'It must have been humorous watching a blind person wearing a blindfold. Steve Thiele 'Guinness World Records do not distinguish between able-bodied persons and disabled persons.
  So they said in order for me to break the existing world record, I had to wear the blindfold. It didn't make any difference to me.'