‘Everything hurts’: record for world’s longest surf broken in Sydney | Surfing

Sydney man Blake Johnston has broken the record for the longest surf session ever held immediately after taking to the water at 1am on Thursday and harbouring plans to surf by way of till Friday evening to raise funds for mental wellness.

Throughout a quick break, Johnston admitted that “everything hurts” and the marathon session was tougher than he anticipated.

“I’ve surfed my complete life but by no means in this realm. Yeah, it is been a mental and physical challenge, to say the least,” he told Nine’s These days show.

Johnston has smashed the prior record of 30 hours held by South African Josh Enslin and will continue surfing off Cronulla’s The Alley till Friday evening, taking his record up to 40 hours.

People today have gathered along the beach to witness the globe record try and offer you help.

Johnston, a neighborhood surf instructor and former skilled surfer, is performing the gruelling feat to raise funds for the Chumpy Pullin Foundation. The charity was set up to honour the memory of skilled snowboarder Alex “Chumpy” Pullin, who died in 2020.

Johnston lost his father, Wayne, to suicide a decade ago.

“This is to honour the anniversary of our dad … for Blake, it is been like this crazy journey given that we lost our dad,” brother Ben stated. “This is just one thing to honour that and he actually desires to actively show individuals that there are tools to deal with mental wellness.”

The physical strain of 40 hours in the water is intense, with dangers like sunburn, dehydration, sharks and marine stingers. The program was to raise $250,000 for the foundation and much more than $200,000 has currently been donated.

Johnston catches a wave off Cronulla beach. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Photos

Johnston’s wife Lauren stated when she was relieved her husband was a new globe record holder, she by no means had any doubt he would finish. “I knew he was normally going to get the objective that he set,” she stated.

The 40-year-old stated earlier this week he wanted to inspire the children he now coaches in surfing and supply them with sensible tools and help to make it by way of difficult occasions.

“I’m not good to myself at occasions. I place a lot of stress on myself to be a good husband, father and buddy,” he stated.

Johnston’s objective to surf much more than 500 waves – at an typical of one particular wave each and every six minutes – has also been smashed with much more than 533 waves ridden prior to 9am on Friday.

“Yeah, I’m stoked, but I’m cooked. I’ve nonetheless got yet another extended eight hours left in the water right now. So just dealing with that at the moment. This is way tougher than I anticipated,” he stated.

• In Australia, the crisis help service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Other international suicide helplines can be located at befrienders.org