Wim Hof ( pronounced [ʋɪm ˈɦɔf] ; born 20 April 1959), also known as The Iceman , is a Dutch motivational speaker and extreme athlete noted for his ability to withstand low temperatures.
90-407: He previously held a Guinness World Record for swimming under ice and prolonged full-body contact with ice, and he holds a record for a barefoot half marathon on ice and snow. He attributes these feats to his Wim Hof Method (WHM), a combination of frequent cold exposure, breathing techniques and meditation. Hof's method has been the subject of several scientific studies, with mixed results. In 2024
180-414: A Hit Albums book following two years later. In 1975, Parker Brothers marketed a board game, The Guinness Game of World Records , based on the book. Players compete by setting and breaking records for activities such as the longest streak of rolling dice before rolling doubles, stacking plastic pieces, and bouncing a ball off alternating sides of a card, as well as answering trivia questions based on
270-575: A Uralic language, the name must be a derivative . In all likelihood, it also predates Finnish settlement and is thus a loanword from one of the now-extinct Saami languages once spoken in the area. The most probable theory is that the name derives from the Finnish dialectal word oulu , meaning " floodwater ", which is related to e.g. Southern Sami åulo , meaning "melted snow", åulot meaning "thaw" (of unknown ultimate origin). Two other word families have also been speculated to be related. The first
360-477: A sculpture of Frans Michael Franzén and The Bobby at the Market Place statue. Finlands' Eurovision representatives 2021 rock band Blind Channel are from Oulu. They placed 6th in the competition. Kalmah is a melodic death metal-band from Oulu that formed in 1998. In the 1980s, rössypottu , salmon soup and sweet cheese ( juhannusjuusto ) were named Oulu's traditional parish dishes. Oulu
450-511: A branch that keeps records for popular video game high scores, codes and feats in association with Twin Galaxies . The Gamer's Edition contains 258 pages, over 1,236 video game related world records and four interviews including one with Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day . Editions were published for the years 2008 through 2020, with the 2009 edition in hardcover. The 2025 edition is the first since 2020. The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles
540-551: A community-wide scale. Although only in the top 2% of universities, the University of Oulu is regionally renowned in the field of information technology. Oulu has also been very successful in recent city image surveys; in a study published by the Finnish Economic Survey in 2008, Oulu received the best image rating among large cities in the country, including ratings from respondents in all provinces . In
630-673: A defensive castle which was later captured by the Kingdom of Sweden in 1377. The 1400s were characterized by Russian raids in the region, during these raids captured people would be killed and/or taken back to the region of Russia. In 1531, the city was granted permission to act as a trading post . In 1590, the Oulu Castle was built by the Swedes and in 1595, the Treaty of Teusina firmly established Sweden's control over Oulu. The city
720-568: A fact-finding agency in London. The twin brothers were commissioned to compile what became The Guinness Book of (Superlatives and now) Records, in August 1954. A thousand copies were distributed for free to pubs across Britain and Ireland as a promotional asset for the Guinness brand, and they became immensely popular with customers. After the founding of The Guinness Book of Records office at
810-667: A huge number of world records. The organisation employs record adjudicators to verify the authenticity of the setting and breaking of records. Following a series of owners, the franchise has been owned by the Jim Pattison Group since 2008, with its headquarters moved to South Quay Plaza , Canary Wharf , London, in 2017. Since 2008, Guinness World Records has orientated its business model away from selling books, and towards creating new world records as publicity exercises for individuals and organisations, which has attracted criticism. On 10 November 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver , then
900-751: A login on the company's website. Applications made by individuals for existing record categories are free of charge. There is an administration fee of £5 (or $ 5) to propose a new record title. A number of spin-off books and television series have also been produced. Guinness World Records bestowed the record of "Person with the most records" on Ashrita Furman of Queens, New York, in April 2009; at that time, he held 100 records. In 2005, Guinness designated 9 November as International Guinness World Records Day to encourage breaking of world records. In 2006, an estimated 100,000 people participated in over 10 countries. Guinness reported 2,244 new records in 12 months, which
990-409: A new record. The company also provides corporate services for companies to "harness the power of record-breaking to deliver tangible success for their businesses." Guinness World Records states several types of records it will not accept for ethical reasons, such as those related to the killing or harming of animals. In the 2006 Guinness Book of World Records , Colombian serial killer Pedro López
SECTION 10
#17327902412991080-473: A record to break or to create a new category just for them. As such, they have been described as a native advertising company, with no clear distinction between content and advertisement. Guinness World Records was criticised by television talk show host John Oliver on the program Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in August 2019. Oliver criticised Guinness for taking money from authoritarian governments for pointless vanity projects as it related to
1170-573: A scroll", along with other such titles. Concerns were also raised around the activities around Egypt, which moved from 22 records to 110 within a decade until 2024. James Lynch, co-founder of FairSquare, said the records were legitimising Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's regime. The Guinness World Records stated that its record titles "cannot be purchased". For some potential categories, Guinness World Records has declined to list some records that are too difficult or impossible to determine. For example, its website states: "We do not accept any claims for beauty as it
1260-399: A similar tolerance for cold, despite living a different lifestyle, suggesting that much if not all of Hof's abilities are innate. A 2024 meta-analysis of eight studies found that the method may reduce inflammation , through the increase of epinephrine . However, effects on exercise performance and respiratory parameters were mixed. And most of the articles were judged as "high concern due to
1350-487: A sword swallower, repeated lightning strike victim Roy Sullivan 's hat complete with lightning holes and a pair of gem-studded golf shoes on sale for $ 6,500. The museum closed in 1995. In more recent years, the Guinness company has permitted the franchising of small museums with displays based on the book, all currently (as of 2010 ) located in towns popular with tourists: Tokyo , Copenhagen , San Antonio . There were once Guinness World Records museums and exhibitions at
1440-466: Is 155 inhabitants. As English and Swedish are compulsory school subjects, functional bilingualism or trilingualism acquired through language studies is not uncommon. At least 100 different languages are spoken in Oulu. The most common foreign languages are Russian (0.6%), Arabic (0.5%), English (0.5%) and Chinese (0.4%). As of 2023 , 13,040 people with a migrant background lived in Oulu, or 6.1% of
1530-546: Is a British reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. Sir Hugh Beaver created the concept, and twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter co-founded the book in London in August 1955. The first edition topped the bestseller list in the United Kingdom by Christmas 1955. The following year the book was launched internationally, and as of
1620-531: Is approximately 216,000, while the sub-region has a population of approximately 264,000. It is the 5th most populous municipality in Finland, and the fourth most populous urban area in the country. Oulu is also the most populous city in Northern Finland. Oulu's neighbouring municipalities are: Hailuoto , Ii , Kempele , Liminka , Lumijoki , Muhos , Pudasjärvi , Tyrnävä and Utajärvi . Oulu
1710-468: Is home to 4% of Finland's population. 6.1% of the population has a foreign background, which is lower than in the major Finnish cities of Helsinki , Espoo , Tampere , Vantaa or Turku . Population by native language (2023) Oulu is the second largest monolingual Finnish-speaking municipality in Finland after Tampere. There are 497 Swedish speakers in Oulu, or 0.2% of the population. The number of Sámi speakers, Finland's third official language,
1800-716: Is needed. Concerning cold exposure, The American Heart Association and the British Heart Foundation have issued warnings about cold therapy, advising consulting with a physician before attempting, and noting that there is poor evidence supporting the practice. As of March 2024 there are 32 reports of people allegedly dying in relation to the Wim Hof Method. According to one expert, immersion in cold water can produce cardiac arrhythmia in 1 to 3 percent of young healthy subjects, but up to 63 percent will suffer arryhthmia when asked to hold their breath before
1890-419: Is not objectively measurable." On 10 December 2010, Guinness World Records stopped accepting submissions for the " dreadlock " category after investigation of its first and only female title holder, Asha Mandela, determining it was impossible to judge this record accurately. Traditionally, the company made a large amount of its revenue via book sales to interested readers, especially children. The rise of
SECTION 20
#17327902412991980-460: Is not necessarily cleared from rooftop solar installations. The local utility, Oulun Energia, is owned by the city of Oulu. The energy mix it receives from the Nordic-wide grid includes wood pellets, waste incineration, bioenergy, hydro-electric, geothermal, wind, nuclear, peat, natural gas and coal. Ice hockey is the most popular spectator sport in Oulu. The local club Kärpät has won
2070-483: Is notable for its transportation network dedicated to non-motor vehicular traffic, including pedestrians and bicycles (termed "light" traffic in Finland). In 2022, the city contained more than 950 kilometres (590 mi) of pathways and more than 300 underpasses and bridges devoted exclusively to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The network is used year-round. The ratio of walking and cycling traffic pathways to residents
2160-522: Is seen in the Northern Savo dialectal word uula and its Sami counterpart oalli , both meaning "river channel". The second is the Uralic root reconstructed as * uwa , meaning "river bed" (reflected as vuo in modern Finnish, also in derivatives such as vuolas "heavy-flowing"). To either of these roots, some Sami variety would have to be assumed having added further derivational suffixes. Oulu
2250-490: Is served by Oulu Airport , the second largest airport in Finland by passenger volume. It is located 15 kilometres (9 mi) south-west of the city centre. The Port of Oulu is one of the busiest harbours on the Bothnian Bay . It includes four separate harbour areas: Vihreäsaari oil and bulk docks, Nuottasaari docks and Oritkari docks. There is also a ferry service in Oulu, which is mostly used between Oulunsalo and
2340-772: Is situated by the Gulf of Bothnia , at the mouth of river Oulujoki , which is an ancient trading site. Following the Treaty of Nöteborg in 1323, the status of Oulu was disputed in its ownership, as both the Novgorod Republic and the Kingdom of Sweden held much influence. In 1345, the Kingdom of Sweden annexed territory up to the Kemi River for the Diocese of Turku . In 1375, the Novgorod Republic built
2430-422: Is slow. Would-be record breakers that paid fees ranging from US$ 12,000 to US$ 500,000 would be given advisors, adjudicators, help in finding good records to break as well as suggestions for how to do it, prompt service, and so on. In particular, corporations and celebrities seeking a publicity stunt to launch a new product or draw attention to themselves began to hire Guinness World Records , paying them for finding
2520-554: Is the effective authority on the exact requirements for them and with whom records reside, the company providing adjudicators to events to determine the veracity of record attempts. The list of records which the Guinness World Records covers is not fixed, records may be added and also removed for various reasons. The public is invited to submit applications for records, which can be either the bettering of existing records or substantial achievements which could constitute
2610-446: Is the highest in Finland and the cycling mode share is 20 percent. Even in winter, bicycle commuting remains strong in Oulu, in spite of the cold, dark, and snow. About 12% of winter trips are by bicycle, and about half of trips to school or university are. The city has a robust system for keeping bike paths maintained and clear of snow, and bike paths and lanes are plowed before roadways to encourage such human-scale winter transit in
2700-468: Is the third northernmost city in the world with a population of over 100,000, after Murmansk and Norilsk in Russia . Due to its large population and geopolitical, economic and cultural-historical position, Oulu has been called the "capital of Northern Finland". Oulu is also considered one of Europe's "living labs", where residents experiment with new technologies (such as NFC tags and ubi -screens) on
2790-599: The Bothnian Bay ( Perämeri in Finnish) and the Swedish mainland is about 180 km directly west across the Bothnian Bay. From the center of Oulu in the direction of Oulunsalo , there is Kempeleenlahti [ fi ] , a smaller but wide, meadow -belted bay, and part of it has been listed as a nature conservation area . The nearby island Hailuoto is just off the coast, 53 kilometres (33 mi) away in
Wim Hof - Misplaced Pages Continue
2880-490: The Empire State Building . Speed shooter Bob Munden then went on tour promoting The Guinness Book of World Records by performing his record fast draws with a standard weight single-action revolver from a Western movie-type holster. His fastest time for a draw was 0.02 seconds. Among exhibits were life-size statues of the world's tallest man, Robert Wadlow , and world's largest earthworm , an X-ray photo of
2970-526: The European Capital of Culture for 2026. The city is named after the river Oulujoki , which originates in the lake Oulujärvi . There have been a number of other theories for the origin of the name Oulu . One possible source is a word in the Sami language meaning 'flood water', but there are other suggestions. At minimum, the structure of the word requires that, if originally given by speakers of
3060-498: The Guinness World Record for farthest swim under ice on his second attempt, with a distance of 57.5 metres (188.6 feet). Hof's first attempt the day before failed when he began his swim without goggles and his corneas froze solid and blinded him. A rescue diver pulled him to the surface after he passed out. The record has been broken several times since and now stands at 81 metres (266 ft) as of 2022. Hof has set
3150-554: The Hailuoto Island . The shortest travel time from Oulu railway station to Helsinki Central railway station is 5 h 34 min, operated by VR . Other destinations include Kolari , Rovaniemi , Seinäjoki and Tampere . The most important road in Oulu is Highway 4 ( E8 / E75 ) that runs from Helsinki to Utsjoki via Lahti , Jyväskylä , Oulu, Kemi and Rovaniemi . Other highways running to and from Oulu are Highway 20 to Kuusamo and Highway 22 to Kajaani . Oulu
3240-676: The London Trocadero , Bangalore , San Francisco , Myrtle Beach , Orlando , Atlantic City , New Jersey, and Las Vegas , Nevada . The Orlando museum, which closed in 2002, was branded The Guinness Records Experience ; the Hollywood, Niagara Falls , Copenhagen, and Gatlinburg , Tennessee museums also previously featured this branding. Guinness World Records has commissioned various television series documenting world record breaking attempts, including: Specials: In 2008, Guinness World Records released its gamer's edition,
3330-592: The Vondelpark in Amsterdam in the garden of roses. She died by suicide in 1995 by jumping from an eight-story building. Hof stated that she was diagnosed with schizophrenia . He had a hard time psychologically with that incident and the freezing water was the only place he didn't think about it. In 2024 the Dutch paper de Volkskrant published an extensive article which mentioned his domestic abuse, for which he
3420-614: The neoclassical (empire style) buildings around Helsinki Senate Square , was enlisted to provide the plan for its rebuilding. With minor changes, this plan remains the basis for the layout of Oulu's town center. The Oulu Cathedral was built in 1832 to his designs, with the spire being finished in 1844. During the Åland War , part of the Crimean War , Oulu's harbour was raided by the British fleet, who destroyed ships and burned tar houses, leading to international criticism. The city
3510-451: The 2023 T-Media survey, Oulu was tied with Kuopio as the second most attractive city in Finland, while Tampere was ranked first. Once known for wood tar and salmon , Oulu has become a major high-tech centre, particularly in IT and wellness technology. Other important industries include wood processing , chemicals , pharmaceuticals , paper and steel . Oulu has been selected as
3600-407: The 2025 edition, it is now in its 70th year of publication, published in 100 countries and 40 languages, and maintains over 53,000 records in its database. The international franchise has extended beyond print to include television series and museums. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international source for cataloguing and verification of
3690-478: The Bothnian Bay. Along the coast to the southwest, about 75 kilometres (47 mi) of Oulu is Raahe ( Brahestad ), known for its historic wooden town, and, further to the southwest, about 130 kilometres (81 mi) of Oulu is Kalajoki , known for its popular sandy beaches. Oulu is divided into 106 city districts. The largest of these are Haukipudas , Oulunsalo , Kaakkuri , Ritaharju , Tuira , and Kello [ fi ] . The municipality of Ylikiiminki
Wim Hof - Misplaced Pages Continue
3780-548: The Dutch paper de Volkskrant published an extensive article which mentioned his domestic abuse, for which he was convicted in the Netherlands in 2012. Wim Hof was born on 20 April 1959 in Sittard , Limburg , Netherlands. He was one of nine children. Hof is an extreme athlete noted for his ability to withstand low temperatures. He attributes his feats to his Wim Hof Method (WHM). Hof's first relevant experiences with
3870-599: The Indian Saints used to practice Yoga and Meditation in the Himalayas under extreme cold weather. While Hof claims his method has beneficial effects on various conditions, there is little scientific basis for these claims. Wouter van Marken Lichtenbelt, a scientist who has studied Hof, said: "[Hof's] scientific vocabulary is galimatias . With conviction, he mixes in a non-sensical way scientific terms as irrefutable evidence." Wim's identical twin brother Andre has
3960-459: The Internet began to cut into book sales starting in the 2000s, part of a general decline in the book industry. According to a 2017 story by Planet Money of NPR , Guinness began to realise that a lucrative new revenue source to replace falling book sales was the would-be record-holders themselves. While any person can theoretically send in a record to be verified for free, the approval process
4050-677: The Official Chart Company's singles and albums charts were combined under the title British Hit Singles & Albums , with Hit Entertainment publishing the book from 2003 to 2006 (under the Guinness World Records brand). After Guinness World Records was sold to The Jim Pattison Group, it was effectively replaced by a series of books published by Ebury Publishing/Random House with the Virgin Book of British Hit Singles first being published in 2007 and with
4140-529: The UK in 2022. A $ 67 million lawsuit was filed against Innerfire and Wim Hof in 2022 that alleged 17-year-old Madelyn Rose Metzger died after performing the Wim Hof Method in her pool in Long Beach, California. Wim Hof was found not liable in 2024. Wim Hof has said he has attained 26 world records, but he has held only three different records. The higher numbers that are reported can be attributed mainly to breaking
4230-864: The annual rock festival Qstock takes place. The Oulu Music Festival is held in winter and the Oulunsalo Music Festival in summer. The Irish Festival of Oulu takes place each October, and the International Children's Film Festival each November. Museums in Oulu include the Northern Ostrobothnia museum , the Oulu Museum of Art (OMA), the Tietomaa science center , and the Turkansaari open-air museum . Notable statues and sculptures in Oulu include
4320-504: The audience on various world records and were able to give the correct answer. Ross McWhirter was assassinated by two members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1975, in response to offering a £50,000 reward for information that would lead to capture of members of the organisation. Following Ross's assassination, the feature in the show where questions about records posed by children were answered
4410-521: The basis for a narrative that should have global appeal. Oulu Oulu ( / ˈ oʊ l uː / OH -loo , Finnish: [ˈou̯lu] ; Swedish : Uleåborg [ʉːlɛɔˈbɔrj] ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of North Ostrobothnia . It is located on the northwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the River Oulu . The population of Oulu
4500-484: The book What Doesn't Kill Us . A number of documentary films have been produced on Hof's life and ability. In 2015, Vice magazine produced a documentary The Super Human World of Wim Hof: The Iceman . In 2020, the YouTube channel Yes Theory published a short film about their experiences with Hof, titled Becoming Superhuman with Ice Man . Hof met his first wife Marivelle-Maria, also called "Olaya Rosino Fernandez", in
4590-580: The book became a surprise hit, many further editions were printed, eventually settling into a pattern of one revision a year, published in September/October, in time for Christmas. The McWhirters continued to compile it for many years. Both brothers had an encyclopedic memory; on the British children's television series Record Breakers , based upon the book, which was broadcast on the BBC from 1972 to 2001, they would take questions posed by children in
SECTION 50
#17327902412994680-622: The city of Oulu, located near the Arctic Circle , has only two hours of weak sunlight in December, the photovoltaic cells work almost around the clock in the summer. The cold climate means the PV panels can get up to a 25% boost per hour, as they don't overheat. Because the sun is quite low in the sky at this latitude, vertical PV installations are popular on the sides of buildings. These solar walls also capture light reflected from snow. Snow
4770-518: The city where 12% already do so. The Winter Cycling Federation was founded in Oulu in 2013, and the first Winter Cycling Congress was held there. In 2015, a large underground parking facility, Kivisydän ( Stone Heart ), opened in the city center directly beneath main shopping streets. The network of parallel roads for cars and pedestrians was drilled in the rock at the depth of 30 meters (98 ft). The parking facility includes two ramps, 900 visitor parking lots (expandable to 1500), six access points to
4860-564: The cold goes back to when he was 17: he felt a sudden urge to jump into the freezing cold water of the Beatrixpark canal. The first relevant scientific investigation began in 2011 at Radboud University . On 19 April 2011, the results of this study were broadcast on Dutch national television. Hof markets a regimen called the Wim Hof Method (WHM), which involves willpower, exposure to cold water, and breathing techniques. Wim Hof's method seems to be inspired by thousands-year-old technique where
4950-438: The cover with the topic of 'The ocean and the water'. The retirement of Norris McWhirter from his consulting role in 1995 and the subsequent decision by Diageo Plc to sell The Guinness Book of Records brand have shifted the focus of the books from text-oriented to illustrated reference. A selection of records are curated for the book from the full archive but all existing Guinness World Records titles can be accessed by creating
5040-416: The difficulty in blinding the participants and researchers to the intervention." The authors cautioned that "the quality of the studies is very low, meaning that all the results must be interpreted with caution. Additionally, the low sample size (15–48 individuals per study) and large proportion of males in the studies (86.4%) make the results non-generalizable to the public," and suggested that further research
5130-485: The ground served by 19 elevators (expandable to nine and 25), a service facility for commercial delivery vehicles, and ubi -screens that guide the driver to the selected ground access point and help locate the parked car by its license number. In 2015, the Kaleva Media printing plant in Oulu became the most powerful photovoltaic solar plant in Finland, with 1,604 solar photovoltaic (PV) units on its roof. Although
5220-409: The horizon. This gives Oulu white nights during the summer. FMI (record highs and lows 1961–present) Source 3: weather2travel.com (average monthly UV index) The city of Oulu has 216,174 inhabitants, making it the 5th most populous municipality in Finland. The Oulu region has a population of 264,143, making it the fourth largest region in Finland after Helsinki , Tampere and Turku . Oulu
5310-555: The listings in the Guinness Book of World Records . A video game , Guinness World Records: The Videogame , was developed by TT Fusion and released for Nintendo DS , Wii and iOS in November 2008. In 2012, Warner Bros. announced the development of a live-action film version of Guinness World Records with Daniel Chun as scriptwriter. The film version will apparently use the heroic achievements of record holders as
5400-453: The longest egg tossing distances, or for longest time spent playing Grand Theft Auto IV or the largest number of hot dogs consumed in three minutes. Besides records about competitions, it contains such facts such as the heaviest tumour, the most poisonous fungus , the longest-running soap opera and the most valuable life-insurance policy, among others. Many records also relate to the youngest people to have achieved something, such as
5490-462: The main focus of his story, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow . Oliver asked Guinness to work with Last Week Tonight to adjudicate a record for "Largest cake featuring a picture of someone falling off a horse", but according to Oliver, the offer did not work out after Guinness insisted on a non-disparagement clause. Guinness World Records denied the accusations and stated that they declined Oliver's offer to participate because "it
SECTION 60
#17327902412995580-800: The managing director of the Guinness Breweries , went on a shooting party in the North Slob , by the River Slaney in County Wexford , Ireland. After missing a shot at a golden plover , he became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the golden plover or the red grouse (the plover is faster, but neither is the fastest game bird in Europe). That evening at Castlebridge House, he realised that it
5670-672: The now defunct metal band Sentenced , and one of the best ice hockey teams in Europe, Oulun Kärpät . Many artists, writers, and musicians live in the city. A variety of concerts – rock, classical, and jazz – as well as other cultural events take place each year. Examples include the Oulu Music Video Festival , the Air Guitar World Championships , and the Musixine Music Film Competition, all in August. In July,
5760-428: The older book to the "Modern Society" section of the newer edition. As of 2011 , it is required in the guidelines of all "large food" type records that the item be fully edible, and distributed to the public for consumption, to prevent food wastage. Chain letters are also not allowed: "Guinness World Records does not accept any records relating to chain letters, sent by post or e-mail." After Roger Guy English set
5850-449: The plunge. “It’s an incredible way of reproducing cardiac arrhythmias in otherwise fit and healthy individuals,” he said. Some experts say that practicing Wim Hof method is "Gambling with your life". Four practitioners drowned in 2015 and 2016, and relatives suspected the breathing exercises were to blame. In 2021, a Singaporean man drowned in a condominium pool when attempting the method. One person died after cold water therapy session in
5940-429: The population. There are 13,986 residents who were born abroad, which or 6.5% of the population. The number of foreign citizens in Oulu is 9,405. Most foreign-born citizens come from the former Soviet Union , Sweden, Iraq , China and India. The relative share of immigrants in Oulu's population is below the national average. Nevertheless, the city's new residents are increasingly of foreign origin. This will increase
6030-696: The proportion of foreign residents in the coming years. In 2023, the Evangelical Lutheran Church was the largest religious group with 67.2% of the population of Oulu. Other religious groups accounted for 1.9% of the population. 30.9% of the population had no religious affiliation. Oulu, as well as other parts of North Ostrobothnia, is well known as a strong support area of the Conservative Laestadianism revival movement . A Laestadian background has been estimated to be common in construction sector management. Oulu
6120-496: The publisher to potential litigation . These changes included the removal of all spirit , wine and beer drinking records, along with other unusual records for consuming such unlikely things as bicycles and trees. Other records, such as sword swallowing and rally driving (on public roads), were closed from further entry as the current holders had performed beyond what are considered safe human tolerance levels. There have been instances of closed categories being reopened. For example,
6210-648: The record ''Full-body contact with ice'' 15 times, often by beating his own previous record. The fastest half-marathon run while barefoot on ice or snow is 2 hr 16 min 34 sec by Hof near Oulu , Finland, on 26 January 2007. Done for the Discovery Channel program Real Super-humans and the Quest for the Future Fantastic , this is the only current Guinness record in Hof's name. On 16 March 2000, Hof set
6300-481: The record for sleeplessness in 1974, the category was discontinued for being too dangerous. At the request of the U.S. Mint , in 1984, the book stopped accepting claims of large hoardings of pennies or other currency. Environmentally unfriendly records (such as the releasing of sky lanterns and party balloons ) are no longer accepted or monitored, in addition to records relating to tobacco or cannabis consumption or preparation. In 2024, Guinness World Records
6390-403: The sword swallowing category was listed as closed in the 1990 Guinness Book of World Records , but has since been reopened with Johnny Strange breaking a sword swallowing record on Guinness World Records Live. Similarly, the speed beer drinking records which were dropped from the book in 1991, reappeared 17 years later in the 2008 edition, but were moved from the "Human Achievements" section of
6480-486: The top of Ludgate House, 107 Fleet Street , London, the first 198-page edition was bound on 27 August 1955 and went to the top of the British bestseller list by Christmas. The following year, it was introduced into the United States by New York publisher David Boehm and sold 70,000 copies. Since then, Guinness World Records has sold more than 150 million copies in 100 countries and 40 languages. Because
6570-415: The well-being of potential record breakers. For example, following publication of the "heaviest pet" record, many owners overfed their pets beyond the bounds of what was healthy, and therefore such entries were removed. The Guinness Book also dropped records within their "eating and drinking records" section of Human Achievements in 1991 over concerns that potential competitors could harm themselves and expose
6660-751: The world record for longest time in direct, full-body contact with ice, 44 minutes in January 2010. Hof's record has been broken several times and as of 2023 it stands at 4 hours, 2 minutes. In 2007, Hof climbed to an altitude of 7,400 metres (24,300 ft) on Mount Everest wearing nothing but shorts and shoes, but aborted the attempt due to a recurring foot injury. He managed to climb from base camp to about 6,700 metres (22,000 ft) wearing just shorts and sandals, but after that he wore boots, saying he needed to affix crampons at that point. In 2016, Hof reached Gilman's Point on Mount Kilimanjaro with journalist Scott Carney in 28 hours, an event later documented in
6750-455: The world. The typical features are cold and snowy winters with short and mild summers. Average annual temperature is 3.3 °C (37.9 °F). The average annual precipitation is 477 mm (18.78 in) falling 105 days per year, mostly in late summer and fall. The warmest temperature ever recorded in Oulu was 33.3 °C (91.9 °F) in July 1957, while the coldest temperature on record
6840-419: The youngest person to visit all nations of the world, currently held by Maurizio Giuliano . Each edition contains a selection of the records from the Guinness World Records database, as well as select new records, with the criteria for inclusion changing from year to year. The latest edition is the 70th, published on 15 September 2023. It is the fourth and last installment featuring Rod Hunt's illustrations on
6930-441: Was a 173% increase over the previous year. In February 2008, NBC aired The Top 100 Guinness World Records of All Time and Guinness World Records made the complete list available on their website. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international authority on the cataloguing and verification of a huge number of world records. For many records, Guinness World Records
7020-408: Was a music reference book first published in 1977. It was compiled by BBC Radio 1 DJs Paul Gambaccini and Mike Read with brothers Tim Rice and Jonathan Rice. It was the first in a number of music reference books that were to be published by Guinness Publishing with sister publication The Guinness Book of British Hit Albums coming in 1983. After being sold to Hit Entertainment, the data concerning
7110-586: Was accused of laundering the reputation of the oppressive governments as it set world records for the UAE's police forces and Egypt's military. By 2024, the UAE achieved 526 records, of which 21 were credited to the Emirates' police force. Matthew Hedges, a British academic who was forced to sign a false confession, asked the records body to take down the Abu Dhabi police department's certificate for "most signatures on
7200-604: Was called Norris on the Spot . Norris carried on as the book's sole editor. Guinness Superlatives, later Guinness World Records Limited , was incorporated in London in 1954 to publish the first book. Sterling Publishing owned the rights to the Guinness book in the US for decades until it was repurchased by Guinness in 1989 after an 18-month long lawsuit. The group was owned by Guinness PLC and subsequently Diageo until 2001, when it
7290-494: Was convicted in the Netherlands in 2012. In 2012 Hof was found guilty of domestic violence against the eighteen-year old child of his then girlfriend Caroline. He was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and fined €350, equivalent to €440 in 2023. Guinness World Records Guinness World Records , known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as The Guinness Book of Records and in previous United States editions as The Guinness Book of World Records ,
7380-475: Was founded on 8 April 1605 by King Charles IX of Sweden , and granted city privileges in 1610. In 1765, Oulu received township rights granting them to trade outside of Sweden. Oulu was the capital of the Province of Oulu from 1776 to 2009. In 1822, a major fire destroyed much of the city, especially the city centre as most of the city was made from wood. The architect Carl Ludvig Engel , chiefly known for
7470-549: Was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird. Beaver knew that there must have been numerous other questions debated nightly among the public, but there was no book in the world with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove successful. Beaver's idea became reality when Guinness employee Christopher Chataway recommended university friends Norris and Ross McWhirter , who had been running
7560-478: Was listed as the "most prolific serial killer", having murdered at least 110 people (with Lopez himself claiming he murdered over 300 people) in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in the late 1960s to 1980s. This was removed after complaints that the listing and category made a competition out of murder. Several world records that were once included in the book have been removed for ethical reasons, including concerns for
7650-579: Was merely an opportunity to mock one of our record-holders," and that Oliver did not specifically request the record for the largest marble cake. As of 2021, the Guinness World Record for "Largest marble cake" remains with Betty Crocker Middle East in Saudi Arabia. Following Oliver's episode, Guinness World Records ' ethics were called into question by human rights groups. In 1976, a Guinness Book of World Records museum opened in
7740-417: Was merged with the city of Oulu on 1 January 2009. Oulu and the municipalities of Haukipudas , Kiiminki , Oulunsalo , and Yli-Ii were merged on 1 January 2013. Oulu has a subarctic climate ( Köppen : Dfc , Trewartha Eolo ), bordering a humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfb , Trewartha Dclo ). It is the largest Finnish city entirely in this climatic zone as well as one of the largest such in
7830-869: Was purchased by Gullane Entertainment for £45.5 million ($ 65 million). Gullane was itself purchased by HIT Entertainment in 2002. In 2006, Apax Partners purchased HIT and subsequently sold Guinness World Records in early 2008 to the Jim Pattison Group , the parent company of Ripley Entertainment , which is licensed to operate Guinness World Records' Attractions. With offices in New York City and Tokyo, Guinness World Records' global headquarters remain in London, specifically South Quay Plaza , Canary Wharf , while its museum attractions are based at Ripley headquarters in Orlando , Florida. Recent editions have focused on record feats by individuals. Competitions range from obvious ones such as Olympic weightlifting to
7920-641: Was the site of the Battle of Oulu on 3 February 1918 between the Whites and the Reds during the Finnish Civil War . Oulu is located in northern Finland, a considerable distance from the other cities in the country. It is located 607 kilometres (377 mi) north of the capital city Helsinki . Mainland Finland's northernmost and southernmost points are roughly equidistant from Oulu. Oulu's coast sits at
8010-488: Was the site of the 2018 Oulu child sexual exploitation scandal . Prime Minister Juha Sipilä declared that "Sex crimes against children are inhumane acts of incomprehensible evil." As of 31 December 2008, the active working population was employed as follows: In 2011, the most important employers were: The best known cultural exports of the city of Oulu are the Air Guitar World Championships held annually in August, Mieskuoro Huutajat (also known as Screaming Men ),
8100-483: Was −41.5 °C (−42.7 °F) in February 1966. Due to Oulu's far northern location, and its frequent overcast skies, it only sees on average 15 minutes of sunshine per day in December. During the winter solstice days only last 3 hours and 34 minutes with the sun rising 1.9 degrees over the horizon. On the other hand, during the summer solstice days last 22 hours and 3 minutes, with the sun dipping 1 degree below
#298701