Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Longest surf session - world record set by Bill Laity
 Huntington Beach Pier, Calif., USA-- Bill Laity, 37, of San Clemente surfed for 26 hours during periods of rain and wind off Huntington Beach on a 5-foot-7-inch shortboard he calls his "gutsy board." - setting the new world record for the Longest continuous surf session .

   Photo: Bill Laity of San Clemente surfed for 26 hours off Huntington Beach  setting the new world record for the Longest continuous surf session . Photo by: Paul Bersebach ( enlarge photo )

 It was no small feat, considering the session outlasted one of the worst winter storms Southern California has offered up so far.

 "I didn't realize I was going to have to fight this storm or go out there in this victim-at-sea weather conditions," said Laity, 37, a surf-gear reviewer for Swell , an online surf retailer based in San Clemente.

The previous Guinness World record for the Longest continuous surf session was set by lifeguard Thomas Cannon, who surfed for 24 hours this past August in North Carolina on a longboard.

   Guinness World Records rejected their original application to attempt to break three records at once: longest surf session, most waves caught and longest distance surfed. They negotiated down to longest surf session.

   Laity, who lives in San Clemente and surfs once or twice a day, said the longest surfing session he had done before lasted five hours in Hawaii. "I was stressed," he said Tuesday. "I knew everyone had my back and I didn't want to let anyone down."

   If he doesn't surf every day, he feels off-kilter, he said. For the past six years he has been doing 700 push-ups and 1,000 sit-ups every night to keep in shape, he said.

   In addition to the rain, he had to fight a strong current sucking him toward the pier like a magnet. On the beach, Figueroa was getting soaked in his snowboarding gear. Swell's two pop-up tents were destroyed by the wind.

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Related world records:
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Longest Open Saltwater Scuba Dive - Ivan Zhelezarov

Completing most watersports in a day  - Guy Cribb

Deepest free immersion dive - William Trubridge

Most Water Skiers Behind a Boat - Horsehead Waterski Club

Longest Open Saltwater Scuba Dive - Will Goodman

Longest swim-world record set by Martin Strel

Most people in a cold water swim - Long Beach Polar Bears

Longest swim in a lagoon-world record set by Mauro Giaconia

Youngest relay team to swim the English Channel -  English swimmers

Most miles paddled in 24 hours on Stand Up Paddle Board - Justin DeBree

Longest Stand Up Paddle board journey - Justin DeBree

Fastest row across the Atlatinc - La Mondiale

Fastest race around the 'World' - Rohan Veal

Unassisted free diving world record - William Trubridge

Freediving World Record

Longest paddleboard journey set  three world records

Fastest round the world sailing - Francis Joyon

Wednesday, November 24, 2010