search person
close

Year in World Records - April: An incredible hoverboard, dancing robots and human dominoes

By Rachel Swatman
Published

With a year packed full of amazing world record achievements drawing to a close, Guinness World Records is taking a month-by-month look back over the most impressive, exciting and game-changing accomplishments that have happened in 2016.
 
In one month we saw a marathon in space, the oldest monarch turn 90, a journey by hoverboard, hundreds of dancing robots and a speed-eating contest.
 
video
However, by far the most popular record in April was the Largest human mattress dominoes – the video of which has now been viewed over five million times on YouTube.
 
Appliance and electronics company Aaron’s Inc. gathered 1,200 employees to take part in the attempt in Maryland, USA.
 
A dominoes expert was on hand to set up 34 rows of mattresses across two exhibit halls covering 70,000 square feet.
 
video
Read more: Largest human mattress dominoes world record gets toppled in the US
 
The record fell once more in China in July with an incredible 2,016 people.
 
Over in the UK, it was time for the annual London Marathon and a whole host of fun new record titles were achieved during the race, including Fastest marathon dressed in a full body dinosaur outfit, Fastest marathon in a fire-fighter’s uniform (female) and Fastest Marathon in a four-person costume.
 
 
However, the most amazing record was actually achieved 400 km above earth, on-board the International Space Station.
 
ESA astronaut Tim Peake ran the London Marathon on a treadmill, breaking the record for the Fastest marathon in space.
 
 
Read more: ESA astronaut Tim Peake achieves Guinness World Records title for the fastest marathon in space
 
A spectacular Guinness World Records attempt took place off the coast of Sausset-les-Pins in the south of France, when French jet ski champion Franky Zapata completed the Farthest hoverboard flight.
 
On top of a futuristic aircraft called the Flyboard® Air, Franky managed a new benchmark distance of 2,252 metres (7,388 ft), far surpassing the previous record of 275.9 metres (905 ft 2 in).
 
video
Read more: Confirmed - Franky Zapata sets new farthest hoverboard flight record in France
 
On 21 April, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – the Longest reigning queen, Longest reigning living monarch and Oldest current monarch – turned 90 years old and Guinness World Records celebrated her record-breaking rule.
 
 
Read more: Longest reigning queen Elizabeth II celebrates 90th birthday
 
Our weekly video series Guinness World Records Italian Show had a particularly popular episode in April when we saw three competitive eaters take on a mouth-watering speed challenge.
 
On the show, YouTube vlogger, fitness enthusiast and multiple Guinness World Records title holder Peter Czerwinski (aka ‘Furious Pete’) from Canada smashed the record for the Fastest time to eat a 12 inch pizza.
 
video
 
Read more: Competitive eater challenged to fastest time to eat a 12’’ pizza record - Guinness World Records Italian Show
 
China entered the record books again when 540 machines achieved the Most robots dancing simultaneously during the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.
 
 
The robots performed as backing dancers for famous Chinese singer Sun Nan.
 
video
Read more: Watch 540 robots perform flawless record-breaking dance routine for Chinese TV show
 
This record was later raised to 1,007 in August.