The Guinness World Records have been documenting incredible and weird feats of human (and animal) achievements since 1955. Everything from the world’s tallest man to the heaviest weight lifted by a human beard (63.8 kg) has been officiated for documentation by the official record adjudicators; there is no limit to the unique array of world records that can be broken.
Guinness itself holds a world record for being the best-selling copyrighted book of all time. As it heads into its 64th year of publication, we are taking a look at some of the fantastic balloon-themed records that Guinness have published over the years.
Here are some of our favourites:
Most Balloons Blown Up in One Hour
We’ll start with a classic. The current record for the most balloons blown up in one hour (by an individual) is held by a man from the US named Hunter Ewen. So, how many balloons did Hunter blow up in the space of an hour?
910!
Yes, a whopping 910 balloons in 60 minutes. The record was broken on 4th September 2015 in Colorado. He beat his own record that was set previously in 2011 when he blew up 582 balloons – quite the increase!
Largest Object Lifted by Helium Balloons
It’s a question that many have wanted an answer. We’ve seen a house lifted by balloons in the Pixar feel-good film Up, and this pivotal moment brought about the conundrum that we’ve wanted answers to time and time again. Just what is the largest object to be lifted by helium balloons?
Well, as it turns out Up is a lot more factual that we might have thought. Mirroring the animated film, the National Geographic Channel floated a house weighing 1,066.3 kg to a height of 10,000 ft over Los Angeles using a cluster of 300 helium-filled balloons.
The balloons inflated to 8 ft and formed a cluster 10 storeys tall. The record took place in 2011 and the house remains the largest object to be lifted by helium balloons. Perhaps animated children’s films aren’t so far-fetched after all.
Fastest Modelling Balloon Dog
Balloon models are incredibly popular at the likes of children’s parties. The problem is, who wants to wait around for a clown to make balloon animals for every single child? It takes forever!
Well, maybe party companies should consider hiring John Cassidy, the world record holder for the fastest time modelling a balloon dog.
John made a balloon dog in just 6.5 seconds back in 2006 in New York. Children everywhere are sure to get their balloon animal dreams made when he’s around – well, perhaps only if it’s a dog.
Fastest Time to Pop 100 Balloons by a Dog
Speaking of dogs, humans aren’t the only ones breaking balloon world records. Yes, man’s best friend is getting in on the action, including this record for the fastest time by a dog to pop 100 balloons.
In 2017, a crazed balloon-loving Whippet named Toby broke the record with a time of 28.22 seconds, breaking his previous record of 36.53 seconds and earning himself and his owner, Christie Springs, the title.
The record took place in Alberta, Canada on 9th April 2017.
Longest Duration Flight by Helium Balloons
Did you know it’s not just hot air balloons that can help a person to fly? That’s right! Some people have tried to use helium balloons for their travels, including Jonathan Trappe, the American man who holds the world record for the longest flight duration.
He set a whopping time of 13 hours, 36 minutes and 57 seconds back in 2010. Using 57 balloons, he flew over North Carolina from 10th to the 11th April 2010. Jonathan covered 109 miles in his travels, and he reached a peak altitude of 7,747 feet.
The balloons ranged in size from 5.5 to 8.5 feet in diameter.
Most Balloons Inflated by the Nose in Three Minutes
If you thought blowing up hundreds of balloons in an hour the typical way was impressive, prepare to be amazed.
Back In 2013, Ashrita Furman set the record for the most balloons blown up through the nose! In 60 minutes, his nostrils worked tirelessly to blow up 380 balloons!
The record took place in New York on 3rd March 2013.
Longest Duration to Keep Three Balloons in the Air
Everyone loves playing the “don’t let the balloon touch the ground” game. How do you think you’d fair keeping three balloons up in the air simultaneously for as long as possible? Well, in 2018, Abhinabha Tangerman smashed the record by more than double!
He achieved a time of 39 minutes and 49 seconds keeping three balloons in the air on 10th June 2018.
We hope you’ve gotten a kick out of some of these fantastic balloon feats, do you think you could beat any of them? Well, if you need any helium for your attempts, or just for a party or grand opening, you can get your refillable helium tanks from Fill n’ Away.