Masses of fitness-lovers gather to do mountain climbers on an actual mountain in France
Typically when completing the exercise mountain climbers, you kick your knees up to your chest while laying flat, imagining yourself clambering up a hill.
Yet for a lucky group of athletes in France, they got to attempt the activity while staring up at the scenery of a stunning mountain range.
Last 18 July, fitness club company Basic-Fit (France) turned their partnership with the legendary bike race the Tour de France into a record-breaking opportunity for spectators in Alsace.
While attendees were gathered in Col Amic for Stage 14 of the competition, Basic-Fit set up a fan village within a mountain pass in the Vosges Mountains on the route to Le Markstein, where they could take part in a fun and accessible fitness challenge.
In total, 293 participants from all across Europe – including local residents – joined the company’s trainers in a workout on the side of a grassy hill, smiling and sweating as they claimed the Guinness World Records title for the most people doing 'mountain climber' exercises simultaneously.
The Tour de France track outside of the fan village
“As the Official Fitness Partner of the Tour de France, we wanted to bring people together through sport and celebrate the inclusive spirit that defines our fitness clubs,” said the event organizers.
The company operates more than 1,700 fitness clubs across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and Luxembourg, and they timed their attempt with one of the world’s biggest sporting events to inspire their members to view fitness as a collaborative effort.
Spectators who biked in to the fan village
Appropriately, the organizers built their attempt around the mountain-climber exercise – fitting, given that they were on the side of one of the Tour de France’s most anticipated mountain stages.
Yet beyond that drill, they also planned numerous other routines that would be feasible for people of all different ages, nationalities and fitness levels.
A total of 18 stewards were positioned evenly across the participant area – each responsible for monitoring a group of maximum 25 participants – to help the participants with performing the exercises correctly.
They also helped Guinness World Records Adjudicator Anouk de Timary ensure that everyone actively performed the mountain climbers throughout the one-minute attempt.
After the workout was completed, Anouk took to the stage to announce that 293 participants had successfully completed the attempt, officially allowing Basic-Fit to claim the certificate in front of a crowd of excited attendees.
Everyone celebrated together before breaking off to take photos or enjoy the fan village, where visitors could enjoy refreshments, win branded merchandise, and watch the Tour de France caravan and the riders pass by.
“It was my first time attending the Tour de France, and I was amazed by the enthusiasm surrounding the event,” said Anouk after the experience. “So many people from different countries had cycled there to watch the race, and it was wonderful to see them happily set their bikes aside for a few minutes to take part in the record attempt.
“Hats off to the organizers, who successfully pulled this off in the middle of one of the world's biggest sporting events.”
So congratulations to everyone that climbed a mountain to claim this record – you are Officially Amazing!