Fastest hooping record attempt in aid of Mayor’s Charity Appeal

Fastest hooping record attempt in aid of Mayor’s Charity Appeal

The team of instructors from Ladies Only Ltd Gym have set the bar high this month to try and achieve a Guinness World Record. They are attempting to beat twenty minutes for the Fastest Female Hula Hooping One Mile.

The instructors teach gym members and schoolchildren how to hula hoop, and train with hoops amongst other equipment themselves at Ladies Only Ltd, so it is a fitting challenge for them.

Twenty minutes might seem plenty of time to run a mile for five super-fit gym instructors, but trying to hula-hoop at the same time makes it very difficult to move fast. They are not permitted to take a single step forwards unless the hoop is revolving between their shoulders and hips.

The whole event has to be captured on film to provide video evidence to Guinness World Records so the gym team have recruited help from Hopwood Hall College students studying Media Production. The students will set up a series of cameras to capture the moment that history will be made, and create a YouTube promotional film clip.

Link4Life is also supporting the attempt by providing Kingsway Park athletics facility for the afternoon. The instructors will cover a mile on the 400m running track timed by two official timekeepers from a local running club.

Ladies Only Gym Manager Michelle Matthews, who is taking part in the challenge, said: “It is very difficult to run without dropping the hula hoop, so we are really up against it. We have been practicing over a short distance, mostly indoors, but the weather on the day could throw us some unexpected extra challenges.

"We are really grateful for the support we’ve had from Hopwood Hall and Kingsway Park Athletics Centre to help us try and achieve a new world record for Rochdale and raise some money in the process.”

All the hard work is set to raise funds for the Mayor of Rochdale’s Charity Appeal 2015-16, and sponsor forms can be completed at the reception desk of Ladies Only Ltd gym.