Alastair Galpin
took to world record-breaking in
2004 after being inspired by a record-setting rally
driver in Kenya. What began as a hobby soon escalated
into an active publicity pursuit. Today, he promotes the
work of social and environmental causes. For these
purposes, the most fitting game plans are chosen; then
world titles are attempted and frequently created.
Sustaining sponsor
If you would like regular exposure from Alastair's activities, become his Sustaining Sponsor:
- A range of attempts annually
- Your brand in multiple media
- Distribute your own media releases
- Receive product endorsements
More details about sponsorship opportunities
Special thanks
|
Behind every world record attempt is the expertise of professionals in their field. Their success underpins Alastair's. |
| They are listed here |
Largest cartoon (shared): 862.8 square metres
This is the story behind our Guinness World Record™ for the Largest cartoon.
My friends and I used to read cartoons as
children. Never ever did I imagine that one day, I'd be working with
others to create the largest cartoon the world had ever seen. But it
happened.
I was about to manage a series of world records
for a charity. One of those decided on was to try to secure this title.
I began by contacting the existing world record holders, but they were
on extended leave. So I had to forge ahead on my own. What did we need?
Paper, paint, a venue and a cartoon strip. I set to work, with plenty
of help. Getting the paint seemed easiest, but that wasn't possible
until I was able to show that our plans were serious. So, to begin
with, I began searching for a venue.
The search went on for months. I was told that my
dream was impossible to achieve since no suitably large building
existed in Auckland, which is roughly the size of London. That
initially made me despondent but I soon continued hunting for somewhere
to lay down preparations for the giant cartoon. Eventually I located an
ex-military helicopter hangar. The minute I stepped inside it, I knew
we had found the correct venue: large, open floor space, roof intact,
secure doors and with running water. That was one necessity taken care
of.
Using this offer as a lever, I soon got the paint
and paper. Next, I needed to find a suitable cartoon, the subject of
which had to be appealing to the widest possible audience. A local
cartoonist was humoured by the idea of the project, and gave permission
for us to use one of his works. I was pleased to have the opportunity,
and it seemed so was he. Soon after, I was grateful to receive the help
of a team of rugby field painters – those men who paint the logos one
sees on the playing fields during matches. The event was ready to
proceed.
A truck delivered a
350kg roll of paper to the
hangar. When a group of us tried to move and unroll it, we realised
this was going to be a physical task. We did get the paper rolled
across the hangar floor though, as the sports field painters unravelled
their gear and started criss-crossing the huge sheet of overlapping
lengths with marker lines. Out came the paint and we got to it. Hours
passed.
Only when I stood back did I appreciate the size
of this cartoon. Nobody could see one end of the cartoon from the
other. The main character's nose was now nearly five times the size of
my shoe. Yes, this was a giant cartoon, I mused. To get a better view,
the photographer and I kept going up in the height access machine, from
where we could comment to the painters on progress. Then the surveyors
arrived and waited patiently for us to complete the task at hand. Their
job was vital for assisting me to collect the admin I was required to
submit with my world record claim.
And then, after months of planning and a full day
of physical work, guess what? We had to get rid of it all! The whole
team stood back for me to get some admin done. Within half an hour, we
were all assembled on the one end of the giant artwork, picking at its
corners. Up we lifted and we rolled, and we pushed, and we tumbled the
paper into a massive sausage. Part-way done, though, this sausage
became so monstrous we couldn't manoeuvre it any longer. So we chopped
it into sections and piled these high on top of one another. In ten
hours, a team of us had rolled out a third of a ton of paper, we'd
painted it as an enlarged cartoon, and we'd folded away what was to
become the world's biggest.
It had been a long day. I was exhausted after
months on the telephone and internet while planning. Although I wanted
to sleep, there was no time. I had to complete the admin and mail it
off. Dreaming of receiving another world record, I energetically did
what was required, posted the package and waited. And waited. And I
waited. What seemed like an era passed, and then I got it: a wonderful
world record certificate. I was so happy I could have kissed it until
it disintegrated. Its hard to explain, but I feel a deep sense of
satisfaction whenever I receive one of these certificates. There may
not be a reason; perhaps I'm just special.