46-year-old American Gary Christensen set a world record by swimming 73.5 km along the Columbia River in a boat made of a giant pumpkin.
Points of attention
- Gary Christensen made history by swimming 73.5 km in a boat made of a giant pumpkin, setting a new world record and showcasing his endurance and innovation.
- Despite challenges like strong winds and thick vegetation, Christensen's determination and passion for growing giant pumpkins led to his extraordinary accomplishment.
- His 26-hour journey highlights his consistent success in local vegetable boating competitions and his unique ability to turn a giant pumpkin into a seaworthy vessel.
- By breaking the previous world record and gaining international fame, Gary Christensen has inspired many with his remarkable feat, raising the bar for extraordinary achievements.
- The video documenting Christensen's epic swim in the pumpkin boat captures the essence of his adventure, showcasing the ingenuity and excitement of his record-breaking expedition.
What is known about the unusual record of Gary Christensen
It is noted that the American spent 26 hours in the pumpkin boat.
It is known that the man has been growing giant pumpkins since 2011. For the past 4 years, Christensen has won every local vegetable boat competition.
This year, Christensen managed to grow a pumpkin measuring 429.3 centimeters and weighing 555 kg, which made it suitable for making a boat.
How was the swimming of the American in the pumpkin boat
On October 11, a 46-year-old American cut a boat out of a pumpkin and attached a camera to it to document his journey.
Shortly after the start of the swim, the wind on the Columbia River increased to 56 km/h, so Gary had to make a forced stop.
A safe beach has been identified for pumpkin planting directly across the Columbia from Multnomah Falls. Landing was difficult because there was thick vegetation in the water, which prevented the pumpkin from swimming easily, says Christensen.
While vacationing on the beach, he cut even more of the soft part out of a pumpkin boat to improve its balance in a raging river.
The man had to row all night because he could not find a place to park before dark.
He also could not risk the integrity of his boat by trying to stop at any landfall.
At 7:03 a.m. the sun was rising and I found a safe place to land and rest on Hayden Island, Christensen said.
The stop lasted almost 5.5 hours, during which the man managed to sleep and eat.
Thanks to this, he broke the previous world record of 63 kilometers, set in 2023.
