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Gisbourne New Zealand for most skinny dipper
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ust over 500 swimmers have stripped off on a cloudy Gisborne day to break the record of the largest number of skinnydippers in one place. Cloudy skies did not deter just over 500 people from stripping off in Gisborne to break the world skinnydipping record. The record, which stood at 413, was broken by 506 revelers at Midway Beach on Sunday afternoon, organizers BW Camping Festival, ZM and Skinny Mobile say.
“We were overwhelmed with how respectful and well-behaved the skinnydippers and spectators were,” festival manager Toby Burrows said. ZM presenter Luke Taplin roused 14,000 campers on the beach to participate while police and Surf Life guards watched on. Promoter Anna Jobsz participated.
“I canʼt believe we broke the record, itʼs so exciting to be part of a world record and to know that we did it in Gisborne, with a great group of people,” she said. The camping festival runs annually at New Yearʻs and organizers plan to attempt to break the record again in a yearʼs time. The previous record, for the largest number of people to strip off in one place for a swim, was held in Wales. Two attempts to break it during the first weekend of summer failed. One attempt at Christchurchʻs Sumner Beach attracted just 226 people and another at Papamoa Beach near Tauranga with 299.
They broke the record, bare and square. “I can’t believe we broke the record, it’s so exciting to be part of a world record and to know that we did it in Gisborne, with a great group of people.”
Temperatures in the high 20s helped convince 506 festival-goers to bare all and head into the water to smash the world skinny dipping record, which previously stood at 413 people. For many, it was a good way to freshen up after a big opening night at the tenth Rhythm and Vines festival at the Waiohika Estate.
Police made 17 arrests but for the most part the 30,000-strong crowd was well behaved and responsible. ZM presenter Luke Taplin roused 14,000 campers on the beach to participate while police and Surf Life guards watched on.