Alastair Galpin (born 1974, East London, South Africa) is the 2nd biggest Guinness World Records breaker of the 2000s decade,Guinness Book of World Records (2010), p. 7 breaking 38 World Records, behind Ashrita Furman. He immigrated to New Zealand in 2002, and says that his career in Record Breaking was inspired when he met champion rally driver, Simon Evans, in Kenya in 1998.
World records
Alastair Galpin has broken over 85 world records for feats including having the most snails on the face (eight in 10 seconds) and the most rubber-bands stretched over the face (62 in one minute). He also holds the most stamps licked (57 in one minute), loudest clap, and the fastest time to peel and eat three kiwifruit.
Galpin is also the holder of the Guinness World Record for the most hugs in one hour in Civic Square, Wellington, New Zealand on 13 July 2007 (624 hugs) and achieved three new Guinness World Records at the Guinness World Records Day 2009 for Champagne-cork spitting, coin blowing, and Malteser (malt ball) spitting.
Along with New Zealander Don Purdon, Galpin commenced an attempt at the longest hand-shake at 8 pm EST on Friday 14 January 2011 in New York Times Square. After 33 hours, three minutes, they had smashed the existing record by more than 17 hours and shared the record with Nepalese brothers Rohit and Santosh Timilsina.http://www.allheadlinenews.com/briefs/articles/90031342?%20Nepali%20brothers%20share%20world%20record%20for%20longest%20handshake
EventRecordLocation and Date The loudest clap 113 dBA University of Auckland, New Zealand, 2 November 2008 The fastest time to butter 10 slices of bread 52.42 seconds Pt Chevalier, Auckland, New Zealand, on 3 December 2009 Longest full-body massage 25 hours 4 minutes South Kalimantan, Indonesia, November 2015 The furthest champagne cork spit 7.23 m Fremantle, Perth, Australia, November 2013 Tallest silverbeet plant 363.5 cm Auckland, New Zealand in 2008 Retrieved 17 May 2012. The most high fives in one minute 76 Trusts Stadium, Waitakere, Auckland, New Zealand, on 14 November 2009 The most lit candles in the mouth 8 Lo Show dei Record, Milan, Italy, on 15 March 2011 Largest bottle cap sculpture (shared) 19,205 caps Auckland, New Zealand in 2010 Retrieved 17 May 2012. The most gloves put on one hand in one minute 13 Britomart Transport Centre, Auckland, New Zealand, on 12 November 2009 The most baseballs held in the hand (palm down) 4 Old Homestead, Auckland, New Zealand, on 28 April 2007 The most side jumps (alternating each leg) achieved in a minute 90 The Warehouse shop in Sylvia Park, Auckland, New Zealand, on 27 October 2007. Furthest surface journey in a male chastity device 4,894.6 km Borneo, Indonesia, in November 2014 Most M&M pretzels moved with a straw in 1 minute 62 Auckland, New Zealand, on 24 September 2012 Largest cartoon (shared) 862.8 square metres Auckland, New Zealand in November 2006 Retrieved 19 May 2012. The farthest coin flick Britomart Transport Centre, Auckland, New Zealand, on 12 November 2009
Charitable awareness raising
Galpin seeks to raise awareness – and sometimes raise funds – for social and environmental causes. He uses various methods to spread knowledge of environmental issues, including referring to issues of global concern in his website's stories, and during his motivational storytelling in schools.
His opinion piece, titled 'Human Application of Consciousness' – while not directly related to world record-breaking, explains Galpin's drive to contribute to the struggle for a truly sustainable future for mankind and other life on earth. He does so by collaborating with non-profits and organisations on projects of varying degrees of social and environmental importance.Retrieved 7 October 2012.
Other initiatives include dropping gambling machines from a record height to highlight gambling harm,Retrieved 19 May 2012. preparing a record-sized bowl of shared soup to promote healthy eating in disadvantaged communities,Retrieved 19 May 2012. and conducting a record number of radio interviews from a suspended cage to draw attention to problem gambling.Retrieved 19 May 2012.
Unusual feats
His activities were played down by some US websites covering "most ridiculous" and "least impressive" world records and he has also attracted US television coverage for similar reasons. Among other print media, The Citizen has featured his work.
References
External links Official website of Alastair Galpin It's Auckland Cranes & The Caged Alastair Galpin (Scoop)