Another year has come and gone which means hundreds more Guinness World Records have been made. It could be anything from the largest ever serving of guacamole, the person with the biggest feet, or maybe something totally out of the ordinary entirely. You might be surprised to learn of the many obscure and outlandish categories the record-keeping organisation holds. It ranges from as wacky as taking a ride on a pumpkin boat to as simple as balancing multiple eggs on the back of your hand. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the rampant cost of living crisis financially strapping families across the UK, as well as countless other setbacks, people are in desperate need of some levity. So, although 2022 has not been the easiest year for the world as a whole, there are plenty of stories to offer a lighthearted break. Looking at the brighter side of life, quite a lot of unusual things and events have happened - most of them in Guiness World Record breaking form. So let’s close out the year by taking a peek at some of the weirdest Guinness World Records of 2022 - warning, there will be many you can neither comprehend nor expect. Jamie Keeton - also known as ‘Canpa’ to his grandchildren - used air suction to hold 10 empty beverage cans to his shaved head and the rest of his face. He told Guinness World Records: “I actually have a skin condition that’s not named yet where my skin pores literally suck in oxygen.” Ibrahim Sadeq of Iran managed to balance 18 eggs on the back of his hand which equalled the record set by Jack Harris from the UK in 2020. He told Guinness World Records: “You need to have a high level of focus when attempting such a record, which is difficult to achieve. Add to that the pain and pressure your hands go through, I needed to be ready for that moment.” Jacob Chandler, from Oregon in the US, managed to put all 26 letters of the English alphabet taken from a can of alphabet soup and put it in order to impress his son Brycen. It took him two minutes and 8.6 seconds to achieve. Ariana Wunderle of Vermont in the US donned four-inch heels and walked 639 feet and seven inches across a tightrope at Bellows Falls Union High School in May. Demolished the previous record of 49.2 feet which was set by Russian performer Oxana Seroshtan in 2014. Japan’s Same Name Association gathered 178 people who shared the name Hirokazu Tanaka in October to attain the world record. The previous title went to the 164 people called Martha Stewart who gathered together in 2005. Californian Gregory Foster used his iron will to stomach 10 Carolina Reaper chillies - which are regarded as the hottest peppers in the world - in a total of 33.15 seconds. Foster previously earned a Guinness World Record for eating three in 8.72 seconds. Duane Hansen made his way onto a hollowed-out pumpkin on the Missouri River to celebrate his 60th birthday and paddled a distance of 37.50 miles. It broke the record of 25.5 miles by Ron Swenson in 2016. David Rush is quite the serial Guiness World Record breaker and earned his 250th in 2022 when he used his breath to blow a pea a distance of 84 feet and 11.28 inches across a level floor. David made sure that he was to hold the record by breaking it a total of three additional times. Competitors of the 2022 National Beard and Moustache Championships in Wyoming, US, teamed up and clipped their beards together that measured a Guiness World Record breaking 150 foot. The previous record was 62 feet and six inches which was set in Germany in 2007. Lim Kai Yi of Malaysia has previously won awards for his puzzle solving skills and added a Guinness World Record to his locker this year. He took a fully disassembled Mr Potato Head toy and put it all together in 5.43 seconds.
