Monday, January 2, 2012

  Largest bicycle parade: Taiwan sets world record (Video)

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China, the event "One Bike One"
drew 72,919 cyclists across the country to ride all at once - setting the new world record for the Largest bicycle parade, according to World Record Academy (www.worldrecordacademy.com).

  Photo: CCA Minister Ovid J. L. Tzeng (left), ROC Vice President Vincent C. Siew (center) and Sports Affairs Council Minister Tai Hsia-ling (right), were among the 72,919 riders who set a new world record for the largest bicycle parade. Photo Courtesy of CCA ( enlarge photo )

  The previous Guinness world record for the Largest bicycle parade was set in Italy, when 48,615 bikers formed a large parade of bicycles in the city of Udine.

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest bicycle bell ensemble was organized by Professor Jörg Kärger and consisted of 503 participants playing German Folk Songs and hymns at the University of Leipzig, Germany .

  Organizers said 80,748 riders actually completed their trips within the event's one-hour time frame, but about 8,000 people did not count toward the record because they did not comply with procedures established by Guinness World Records.

  Many of those not counted in the final record did not register before the event.

  "One Bike One," required every cyclist to ride least five kilometers on the 1,000-km route around Taiwan.

  Participants had to pre-register for the event and then check in before they set off from their departure points and after they arrived at their designated destination points to have their rides count toward the record.

  Although the anniversary of the Republic of China (ROC) is officially on October 10 each year, Taiwan traditionally regards the start of each ROC year as January 1.

  "It's the pride of Taiwan's people," said Lin Chin-tien, deputy chief of the Council for Cultural Affairs. "We hope that everyone can ride the momentum into the coming new year."