Kayaker Tim Taylor is finally back on land after breaking the world record after almost 24 hours on the water. Photo/John Borren.
Kayaker Tim Taylor is finally back on land after breaking the world record after almost 24 hours on the water. Photo/John Borren.
FRIDAY: Tauranga kayaker Tim Taylor has smashed the world record for a 24-hour solo kayak journey this morning, surpassing the previous record of 194.1km at 4.30am and paddling until 7am.
Mr Taylor was picked up by his support boat at 7am off the coast of Papamoa, with an hour left on the clock and 214km under his belt, when the cold and exhaustion took over and his body locked up.
He said smashing the record was "surreal".
"It's pretty surreal. It was a big challenge and a big goal to have so I'm just stoked I pulled it off," he told the Bay of Plenty Times today.
Turning around at Cathedral Cove at 5.30pm yesterday after paddling 100km straight was an "amazing" feeling and at that point, marked the longest he had paddled in one go.
"During my New Zealand trip [a previous record attempt] the longest I paddled in a day was 98km and it always annoyed me I didn't make it to 100."
The toughest part of his journey was venturing further out to sea to paddle around the Bowentown sand bar with the lack of visibility through the night when strong winds picked up the swell.
"Once you get out there, just the wind was insane for a period of an hour and a bit. Just the scariest paddling I've ever done."
He celebrated smashing the previous 24-hour record of 194.1km at the mouth of the Tauranga Harbour early this morning with more than three hours still to paddle.
To clock up more kilometers he carried on towards Papamoa before calling it a day at 7am.
He said he was "wrecked" and struggling to even dress himself after the challenge was complete but feeling ecstatic that he had achieved his goal.
THURSDAY: Tauranga kayaker Tim Taylor is expected to reach his target of a world record solo kayak journey attempt well ahead of time.
His sister Steph Taylor, who is on board the support boat accompanying him throughout his entire journey spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times from the water, saying Tim was in good spirits and was "way ahead of schedule".
"He's doing really well," said Miss Taylor.
"He reached the 100km half way mark and turned around to make his way back home."
Photo/Facebook
Mr Taylor, 28, left from Pilot Bay at 8am this morning heading north towards Hahei then back to Tauranga harbour to complete a gruelling 220km solo kayaking expedition.
The current world record for a solo kayaking journey is 194.1km
Miss Taylor said because her brother was so far ahead of schedule, he may complete his journey before the target time of 8am tomorrow morning.
