From the Basingstoke Observer
Two Basingstoke squash players have beaten the world record for the longest match ever played.
Super-fit Grant Ward, 29, from Basingstoke, and pal Mike Sohachevsky, 29, from Eastrop, played for 31 hours and two minutes at Basingstoke Sports Centre in Festival Place last week.
The attempt is being cleared by Guinness World Records, but it looks as though their efforts have shattered the current record of 29hrs 55mins set in 2008.
Grant told the Observer: “It was the support that lifted us, I think. They kept us going beyond the world record.
“They gave us an amazing burst of energy – we could of gone on for a bit longer.”
The record attempt kicked off at 11am on Friday and ended with a champagne toast and cheers at 7pm on Saturday.
Using the British scoring system where a game is played to ni
And despite fighting blisters and sore legs, the pair remained competitive right to the end, with Mike trumping Grant by two games.
“It would have been nice to get a draw after 31 hours, but the record is far more important,” said Grant.
“It is an amazing achievement. Both Mike and I are over the moon that we managed it.
“We always felt that we would do it, but there were some very tough hours.
“When we had seven and then five hours to go, it started to get really difficult. We had some real highs, and some real lows, depending on our sugar levels. These were the gruelling hours, especially since I had blisters from the start.
“The next day when I stepped out of bed I looked as if I had stopped on hot coals because my feet were so tender.”
To make the record official, the pair were watched by stewards Simon Phillips and Tom Buckley for the entire 31 hours.
The pair launched the record attempt in a bid to raise £10,000 for Cancer Research UK and Basingstoke and Deane Sports Trust, which run the courts where it took place.
To make a donation, visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/SquashWorldRecords