Is it the woman with the Longest Legs? The Youngest Person To Fly Solo Around the World? Highest Shallow Dive? Or maybe extreme athlete Rob Dyrdek? There's a record for everybody to love, with feats ranging from the sublime to the outlandish! Guinness World Records® is paying homage to fans, inviting them to dictate history by voting for the Top Records of the Decade out of 100 shortlisted records included in the current Guinness World Records 2010 edition.
The Guinness World Records website (www.guinnessworldrecords.com) is allowing those with an insatiable hunger for unbelievable feats and facts to vote online for their own personal favorite record from the decade. Once the votes are tallied, Guinness World Records will announce the public's choices early next year.
The wide range of categories to choose from include: Engineering, Living Planet, Science & Technology, Stunts, Epic Achievements, Society, Engineering, Arts & Entertainment, Sports and Claimants.
"This is the first decade of the new millennium and one of the most exciting and interesting that Guinness World Records has been around to chronicle," said Craig Glenday, Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief. "As we get ready to mark the next ten years ahead, we'd like to take a look at the past with all our fans and remember some of the best."
A selection of records from each category is highlighted below:
LONGEST LEGS: Svetlana Pankratova (Russia) has the world's longest legs, verified as measuring 132 cm (51.9 in) in Torremolinos, Spain.
MOST PIERCED MAN: The man with the most body piercings is John Lynch (UK) a.k.a. 'Prince Albert', who was counted as having 241 piercings, including 151 in his head and neck, in Hammersmith, London, UK, on 17 October 2008.
TALLEST LIVING TREE : The tallest tree currently growing is Hyperion, which measured 115.54 m (379.1 ft) in September 2006. This coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) was discovered by Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor (both USA) in the Redwood National Park, California, USA on 25 August 2006.
HIGHEST SHALLOW DIVE: The highest shallow dive measures 10.83 m (35 ft 6.6 in) and was achieved by Darren Taylor (USA) in Tokyo, Japan, on 7 December 2008.
FIRST SPACE TOURIST (FEMALE): Anousheh Ansari (Iran) became the first female space tourist on 18 September 2006 when the Soyuz TMA-9 capsule blasted off for a 10-day visit to the International Space Station.
MOST UBIQUITOUS CONSUMER ITEM: Estimates for the global manufacture of plastic bags number in the trillions, making them the most abundant consumer product in the world.
LARGEST ICE HOTEL: The Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, which is rebuilt each winter, has a total floor area of between 4,000 and 5,000 m squared (43,000 to 54,000 ft squared), and in the winter of 2004-05 featured 85 rooms. The hotel also features the Ice Globe theatre based on the design of Shakespeare's famous playhouse, an ice bar, and an ice church. Lying 200 km (120 miles) north of the Arctic circle, the hotel has been recreated every December since 1990.
HIGHEST ANNUAL EARNINGS FOR A CHILDREN'S AUTHOR: J.K. Rowling's annual earnings in 2007-2008 were estimated to be US$300 million (150 million pounds) according to the 2008 Forbes Celebrity 100 list released on 11 June 2008.
YOUNGEST PERSON TO FLY AROUND THE WORLD: Barrington Irving (Jamaica/USA, b. 11 November 1983), an aerospace student at Florida Memorial University, circumnavigated the globe in Inspiration, manufactured and assembled by the Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Company. His landmark 97-day flight was also the first ever solo circumnavigation flight by a black pilot.
MOST GOLD MEDALS WON IN ONE OLYMPICS: The most gold medals won at a single Olympic games is eight by Michael Phelps (USA) who won gold in the following swimming disciplines, 400 metres individual medley, 4 ×100 metres freestyle relay, 200 metres freestyle, 200 metres butterfly, 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay, 200 metres individual medley, 100 metres butterfly and the 4 × 100 metres medley relay, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, between 9 August and 17 August 2008.All of these records are currently highlighted in the Guinness World Records 2010 edition, which is available in stores now.
For more records to choose from and to vote online please go to:
http://2010.guinnessworldrecords.com/top100.asp.
Guinness World Records 2010 contains the most comprehensive collection of the greatest and most amazing accomplishments from around the world and beyond. A "must-have" for both knowledge-seekers and aspiring record-breakers of all ages, Guinness World Records 2010 is available for the suggested retail price of $28.95. For more information about Guinness World Records 2010 visit the Guinness World Records website at: www.guinnessworldrecords.com.
