Surfers unite for new record

The 14-strong team included the cream of British surfers

A 14-strong team has surfed into the world record books by riding a wave on a single giant surfboard in Cornwall.

Tuesday's record bid was held at St Ives, on a 37-feet board weighing 400lb.

On their fourth attempt the team of 12 men and two women stood up and surfed into shore together, setting the first official world record for the most people riding a single board.

The team included the cream of British surfers, as well as an Australian and three South Africans.

Britain's surf champion Alan Stokes, 22, said riding the two feet wave with his team was not easy.

'Big effort'

"That board will catch almost any wave that breaks.

"To get our coordination right was pretty difficult because everyone is trying to balance.

"It was a big effort and everyone did really well," he said.

The fibreglass board - officially the longest in the world - set an unofficial record when it was first used by a team of 12 people at its launch in Cornwall in 1999.

A New Zealand team went one better and managed to get 13 people riding a wave on one board.

The giant longboard was created by team member Tim Mellors at Custard Point boards in Newquay.

It will now go back on display at the town's Longboard House shop.

Photographs of the event will be sent for independent verification before the team can be entered in the Guinness Book of Records.

Tuesday's successful record attempt comes after an attempt at Lusty Glaze beach in north Cornwall was abandoned last week because the waves were too big.