There are Guinness World Records for the most number of people twerking at one time, the largest bubblegum bubble, and the most milkshakes dispensed through someone’s nose.
Now there’s a Guinness world record for the most number of people down a slip-n-slide in 60 minutes thanks to students and community members who weren’t afraid to get wet. Sliders took 2,383 trips down the slip-n-slide on the hill south of Hansen Stadium Thursday, setting a new world record.
The event was organized by the Dixie State University Student Alumni Association. Volunteers from DSUSAA counted everyone who slid down the two slides, including those who took more than one slide. Music, dance contests and free ice cream were also hits at the event.
Makayla Norman, a freshman dental hygiene major from St. George, was the DSUSAA member in charge of the event and said she was happy with the turnout at the slip-n-slide. She said DSUSAA started looking in October for potential Guinness World Records that were achievable at DSU.
“I noticed there were records for the longest slip-n-slide distance, but nothing for the most number of people down,” Norman said.
Samantha Mathis, a freshman theater major from Leeds and volunteer with DSUSAA said the other the other option for the world record event was to make the most origami paper cranes.
“The slip-n-slide sounded way more fun,” Mathis said.
Participants in the World Record Slip-n-Slide event slide down the hill near Hansen Stadium. Dixie State University set the world record for most number of people down a slip-n-slide in 60 minutes. Photo by Spencer Ricks.
The plastic slides were covered in soap and water so riders could go down as fast as possible, Norman said. So many riders went down the slides, rips in the plastic had to be repaired by duct tape halfway through the 60 minutes.
“I wasn’t expecting the slides to tear,” Norman said. “We had two layers of plastic, but if we do it again, we might have to put down more.”
Norman said if the record is broken by D-Week 2017, they might consider trying to get the most people down a slip-n-slide in 60 minutes again so DSU can keep the record. She said they plan to break a different world record each year during D-Week because it gets people more excited to participate.
James Maae, a junior business administration major from Pago Pago, American Samoa, said the slip-n-slide was a lot of fun and something he’d want to do again.
“It feels really good to say I helped beat a world record,” Maae said. “It gives me bragging rights.”
Participants in the World Record Slip-n-Slide event slide down the hill near Hansen Stadium. Dixie State University set the world record for most number of people down a slip-n-slide in 60 minutes. Photo by Spencer Ricks.
