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Australian Blake Johnston surfs for 40 hours to smash world record
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Blake Johnston of Australia surfs en route to breaking the world record, in Sydney, Australia, March 17, 2023. /AFP
Blake Johnston of Australia surfs en route to breaking the world record, in Sydney, Australia, March 17, 2023. /AFP

Blake Johnston of Australia surfs en route to breaking the world record, in Sydney, Australia, March 17, 2023. /AFP

Australian Blake Johnston on Friday shredded the world record for the longest surfing session, dodging swarms of jellyfish to ride hundreds of waves across 40 punishing hours.

The 40-year-old former surfing pro broke down in tears after smashing South African Josh Enslin's previous record of 30 hours and 11 minutes.

Spotlights were used at night to help guide Johnston in the surf and medics monitored his health from the beach.

Johnston, who surfed more than 600 waves during his session, took on the world record to raise money for youth mental health initiatives in collaboration with the Chumpy Pullin Foundation

He raised more than A$330,000 ($221,000) for mental health, taking on the record to mark 10 years since losing his father to suicide.

"I've still got a job to do. I said 40 (hours) so I'll go and give it a crack," he told reporters earlier in the day, after passing the previous 30-hour record.

"I'm pretty cooked, yeah, but we'll push through."

(With input from AFP, Reuters) 

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