Surfer Shatters World Record in Single 40-Hour Session

“Surfing is not just a hobby, it’s a way of life,” said Blake Johnston, who broke the world record for the longest surfing session on Friday.

The 40-year-old surfer broke the previous record held by South African Josh Enslin of 30 hours and 11 minutes. Johnston’s feat occurred at Cronulla Beach in Sydney, Australia, and he rode more than 600 waves.

How Did He Accomplish This?

Johnston started his surfing session at 1 a.m. on Thursday. His team had to illuminate the water with large spotlights to guide him at night.

Despite the physical challenges, including dodging jellyfish swarms, he persevered, saying, “I push myself to the limits with my adventures and to prove to myself that I’m worthy and can get through hard times, and that’s when my lessons are learned.”

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He could take breaks from the ocean to rest, eat, drink, and apply sunscreen. Medics checked his heart rate and blood pressure before he returned to the water. The water temperature was around 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit), so the risk of hypothermia was low. Warm autumnal temperatures in Sydney also helped.

Why Did He Do It?

Johnston undertook this feat to raise money for youth mental health initiatives with the Chumpy Pullin Foundation. He raised over AUS$330,000 (roughly $220,000 or €210,000) and timed the attempt to mark ten years since his father had taken his own life.

This was not Johnston’s first participation in a marathon test of human endurance. In 2020, he ran 100 kilometers along the rugged coastline south of Sydney, covering most of the trek barefooted.