ISLAMABAD/SYDNEY: An Australian man smashed the record for the longest surf session – clocking a whopping 40 hours in the process at the Cronulla beach in southern Sydney.
Blake Johnston started surfing early Thursday in a bid to raise awareness for mental health. He continued into the night and finished with nearly 700 waves ridden as spotlights illuminated “The Alley,” an area of the Cronulla surf, notorious for its waves.
The 40-year-old Johnston, a former distance runner, and a professional surfer faced a number of risks going into the sea for his record-breaking attempt, including that of blindness, ear infection, dehydration, sleep deprivation, hypothermia, jellyfish stings, and shark attack.
On Friday, during lunchtime, he briefly surfaced from the water to receive eye drops and a medical examination. Johnston wore a black cowboy hat covered in a warm blanket as he departed the beach.
His brother Ben informed the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that when he surfed with him at two in the morning, the lights went out, and it was completely dark.
“It was fascinating, to say the least, because, there were many jellyfish there,” he said.
Talking about the record-breaking feat, Johnston said, “I figured I could handle it easily. For forty hours, I can run. Yet, by doing things this way, I can interact with others, engage the neighborhood, and influence the course of history.”
Previous Record
South African Josh Enslin held the previous record of the longest surf session of 30 hours and 11 minutes.
Johnston is fundraising for the Chumpy Pullin Foundation, which was established in honor of Australian snowboarder and 2020 Gold Coast drowning victim Alex “Chumpy” Pullin.
Around A$335,000 (£185,000; $225,000) were donated to charity due to his effort.
He also supports mental health charities, partly in tribute to his father, who took his life a decade ago. Three of Johnston’s friends also died from mental health conditions, according to media reports.
