When it comes to world-beating feats we Scots have consistently punched above our ‘small country’ weight .
Here we look at some of the brilliant, brave and often bonkers records set and challenged by Scots over the years.
1. Winning the international toss
As caber-tossing is one of the most iconic aspects of Scotland, it was only fi tting that this country should host an event centred on Most Cabers Tossed. The caber toss has featured in Highland Games for centuries, and is now part of Scotland’s rich and successful sporting heritage. But this exercise was truly international, with more than 160 throwers from 14 countries descending on Bught Park in Inverness, and successfully tossing a total of 66 cabers between them. A new world record was set in the event …as well as a new place in the Guinness World Records.
2. Second to none
Considered one of the greatest Olympians in British history, Edinburgh’s Sir Chris Hoy is no stranger to track records. In 2007, he set his sights on the world record for the kilometre. While he missed out on the record time by little more than a whisker, coming in at 0.005 seconds short in his attempt, Sir Chris does have a number of other records under his belt. Among them is the 500m fl ying start – after which, at 24.758 seconds, he beat the previous world record by a clear second.
3. A clean pair of… hands
In possibly the cleanest-ever challenge faced by Scots record-breakers, thousands of school pupils from across Glasgow took part in a simultaneous hand hygiene lesson. Their efforts were a bid to beat the previous Guinness World Record held by the Health Protection Agency England. Organisers were also keen to promote a positive message to younger generations and encourage hand hygiene. Accordingly, they submitted evidence of 3,753 children at 41 schools having taken part.
4. Egged on to triumph
The Mermaid takeaway in Leith attempted to make an ostrich egg into the world’s largest Scotch Egg. Boiled for over an hour, with 10kg of sausage and egg and 2kg of crumbs, this wasn’t a challenge for chickens. Their attempt weighed in at 11.02kg, smashing the previous record of 6.2kg, which had been set in London in 2008.
5. Just couldn’t crack it
A novel feature of Aberdeen’s Christmas celebrations in 2014 was a bid to break the world record for the longest Christmas cracker-pulling chain. The target to beat was 749 people, held by a team from Brindley Place in Birmingham. And while the Granite City’s spirit was willing, it fell sadly short with only 355 in the chain. While they weren’t able to make it into the Guinness World Records book, the bid went off with more than a bang, having featured 2,500 crackers.
6. Scottish twins were the world’s oldest
In 2012, Edith Ritchie and Evelyn ‘Evie’ Middleton were confi rmed as the world’s oldest living twins. Born on a farm near Newburgh in Fife in 1909, they were close through their lives, latterly living at Ellon’s Bonnyton Care Home. Asked what her secret to a long life was, Edith put it down to ‘simple living, hard work and a good husband’.
7. Record in a bottle
When boat skipper Andrew Leaper found a bottle off Shetland and opened it to find a message dated June 1914, by a strange coincidence his discovery beat the previous record held by a man on the same fishing boat. It was found to have come from the Glasgow School of Navigation – one of 1,890 scientific research bottles released around Scotland at the time.
8. High horses
A couple of Scotland’s newest record-setters – the huge Kelpies in Falkirk, completed in 2013 – have made a very quick impact. Instantly recognisable, these two towering equine structures are already among the country’s most popular visitor attractions. Designed by sculptor Andy Scott and standing at 100ft tall, they also represent an impressive and enhancing addition to the landscape. Not only that; they have now been officially recognised as the largest horse-head sculptures in the world.
9. The banana man can…
Edinburgh native David Hiddleston became the fastest half-marathon runner dressed as a fruit. Zipped up in a banana suit, David completed the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront race in one hour and 25 minutes. And he took the accolade in his impressive stride. At the time of his record recognition, he was also proud holder of the world record for fastest half marathon dressed as a mascot.
10. The record to eat …er, beat
Like the caber, the haggis is a globally recognised symbol of this country. Normally, of course, it would be eaten rather than tossed. But in this case, also like that of the caber, the challenge was to throw the ‘great chieftain o’ the puddin’ race’ as a viable contemporary way of getting into the record books. Strongman Lorne Colthart took up the challenge in 2011, throwing a haggis an incredible 217ft. But much to his frustration, his achievement wasn’t immediately recognised by Guinness. However, two years later, in 2013, his ability to hurl the puddin’ the length of six double-decker buses was officially acknowledged, with the famous record company finally awarding him his well-deserved title.
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