Photo: Suzanne Sausville (WBZ NewsRadio)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — 88,047.
That is the Guinness World Record for most consecutive jumps on a pogo stick, a record that James Roumeliotis of Tewksbury first held in 2007 under slightly different rules.
"At the time, that was what they call now 'longest marathon on a pogo stick,' which is number of bounces, but you [got] a five-minute break every couple of hours," Roumeliotis told WBZ NewsRadio.
After losing the record in 2015, Roumeliotis began his quest to reclaim it--this time with no breaks--at 8 a.m. Saturday in front of the South Boston Vietnam Veteran Memorial at Medal of Honor Park.
"It’s non-stop," Roumeliotis said. "If I slip, if I fall, if I trip, it’s over."
The pogo stick jumper anticipates it will take around 8 or 9 hours to break the record, so he came well prepared.
"So I’ve got a lot of high-calorie protein bars, some Slim Jim-style things, bananas, and of course Gatorade, water, to stay hydrated," he said.
When Roumeliotis broke the record in 2007, he did so for medical research. This time, he is "Hopping for Heroes," raising money for the New England Center and Home for Veterans.
"At any point, any day, they can have hundreds of veterans staying overnight," said Roumeliotis. "They help them get back on their feet, back into the community, and plugged in, helping them as best they can."
While 88,047 consecutive pogo stick jumps is the number to beat, Roumeliotis does not plan to stop at 88,048.
"The goal is to not just take the record, but to destroy it," he said. "I’m going to go for broke."
WBZ's Suzanne Sausville (@WBZSausville) reports.
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