How to turn coconuts into a record: Smash them, play them or husk them with your teeth

Happy World Coconut Day to all who celebrate.

Are you nuts for coconuts? Well, we are!

To mark the fruit’s big day - created partly to promote sustainable coconut farming - here’s a round-up of some amazing coconut-based records.

Whether it’s smashing, husking, or using them as musical instruments, there are plenty people out there who’ve used coconuts to become world record holders.

A whopping 5,877 people became the largest coconut ensemble back in April 2007 thanks to a production of Monty Python musical Spamalot.

Together in London’s Trafalgar Square, they earned the record by clacking their coconuts along to the tune of “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”, which was first heard in the movie Life of Brian before being repurposed for the stage show.

And of course, the coconut-playing came from a running joke in Monty Python’s Holy Grail where characters knocked coconuts together to pretend they were riding horses.

Fuatai Solo (Fiji)’s impressive record for fastest coconut tree climb has stood since 1980.

He scaled a 9-m (29-ft 6-in) tree barefoot in just 4.88 seconds at the annual Coconut Tree Climbing Competition in Sukuna Park, Fiji.

At that speed, he could climb to the top of the Empire State Building in just over four minutes.

That was his third time winning the competition and he was so excited that he rushed straight up to the top of the tree again – this time clutching his £43 prize money in his mouth.

Sidaraju S Raju (India) has a remarkable talent for husking coconuts.

He earned the record in 2003 for the fastest time to husk a coconut using the teeth in just 28.06 seconds.

But of course, what we all really came here for is the coconut smashing.

And there are various ways to do it.

Jens Gaude (Germany) is the master of busting open the fruit with his elbows.

In July 2023, he set the record for most coconuts smashed in one minute by elbows with a total of 83.

Muhamed Kahrimanovic (Germany) can do it while holding a fragile egg.

With an impressive result of 49, he broke the record for most coconuts smashed while holding an egg in 30 seconds in December 2022.

The record for most green coconuts smashed with the head in one minute belongs to Muhammad Rashid (Pakistan).

He did 43 of them in November 2023.

Don’t fancy using your head, fists or elbows?

Bir Khalsa (India) set the record for most coconuts on heads smashed with a baseball bat in one minute on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Italy in February 2024 with a total of 85.

Now, that's smashing!