Entry #30: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.
I have just received notification that my application to establish a Guinness World Record has been rejected. I am both perplexed and bummed.
Perplexed on their rationale. If I understand correctly, the Guinness research teams’ decision was based on their ‘opinion’ that establishing a singlehanded sailing distance record (5,000+ nautical miles) in a sloop under 7 meters in the Great Lakes in a single season isn’t significant enough on an international level to establish a Guinness World record! Really! But breaking watermelons with ones’ head qualifies! Really! Eating lots of hot dogs qualifies! Really! And … Really! Ad Infinitum … Really!
Record be damned, I am bummed because I was hoping to use the publicity to increase awareness of my nephews’ Dermatomyositis Rheumatoid disease. Sorry Cameron.
Here’s the email from Guinness – you be the judge _
Dear JOHN LECZNAR
Thank you for sending us the details of your proposed record attempt for ‘Longest solo sailing distance on freshwater (Great Lakes) achieved in a single season in a sloop with a waterline under six (6) meters. ‘.
Unfortunately, after thoroughly reviewing your application with members of our research team, we are afraid to say that we cannot accept your proposal as a Guinness World Records title.
We receive many proposals regarding the fastest journeys between different points (towns, natural landmarks, etc), both within countries and between different states. Since there is potentially an almost infinite number of such points, we must out of necessity select only those which are significant internationally (e.g. trans-continental) or which over time have become the subject of much international competition (e.g. swimming across the English Channel, or sailing across the Atlantic). Unfortunately, in our opinion your proposal does not fall into one of these categories and we will not therefore consider it for a world record.
For information on what makes a record, we would advise before submitting an application to visit http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/what-makes-a-guinness-world-records-record-title. This page will provide you with helpful information if you are thinking about breaking or setting a record.
Once again thank you for contacting Guinness World Records.
Kind regards,
Records Management Team
Please be aware that as your record application has not been accepted, Guinness World Records is not associated with the activity relating to your record proposal and does not endorse this activity in any way. If you choose to proceed, then this is will be of your own volition and at your own risk. Guinness World Records will not monitor, measure or verify this activity.
This is an automatically generated email, please do not reply to this message.
If you have an enquiry, the quickest way to get in touch with Guinness World Records is as follows:Log in in at www.guinnessworldrecords.com/account/login Click on the relevant application under Your Applications Scroll down to the bottom of the page and type your enquiry in the Correspondence section Click Add to send your enquiry to Guinness World Records Your enquiry is sent directly to your Records Manager
We appreciate that you are eager to receive feedback on your application and can assure you that we will be back in touch as soon as possible.
Guinness, I’m doing it anyway!
Never Too Late For 