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Stretch's Lair

STILT
HISTORY

and

WORLD
RECORDS

Here is some stilt history complete with many typos, many are deliberate and trickey. If you are going to copy it for a school project, be warned there are a ton of typos, so be prepared to WORK on the spelling.  A spell checker will NOT do a 100% job.

Please give credit and circulate as widely as possible!  If those of you with access to the RBBB and other old circus programs can add to the list, I would GREATLY appreciate it. Just email me with your additions and comments.  Thank You.

Walk Tall,

Bill "Stretch" Coleman
http://www.stiltwalker.com/

Astounding Stilt Walking Events

In China, there is an old custom called "walking on stilts" that it is a performance which employs two lengths of wooden sticks over three metres long to one's feet and walking on them. It is also termed "tied-on long feet".This kind of performance can be traced back to very ancient origins. It is described in "Leizi"(a book), "There was a man named Lanzi in the state of Song (circa 7th century B.C.) who entertained the first Song emperor wit his feet of walking and running with two wooden poles taller than himself attached to his lower legs.  Performers are dressed as legnedary characters and perform with long poles attached to their feet. It is a holiday folk performance, especially popular in some country areas.

            From his daughter, Brooke Sommerdorf:  My dad was a very enthusiastic skater and took it to a new level when he added stilts to his ice skates. He died in 2007 when his fall on his stilts on Donner lake broke the ice underneath him and he drowned. He was very good on his stilt skates, you should see the video :
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=5806566
and the other video (which is the best one )is at:
 http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=5806684
as you can tell he'd been doing this for a long time.              
                  
                                                                               Here are some links:

         Official Results: CLICK HERE         Press: CLICK HERE        Info Sites:   1 CLICK HERE      2 CLICK HERE
            Neil Sauter is standing up for people with cerebral palsy -- way, way up.
            The adjunct Jackson Community College faculty member plans to trek more than 800 miles across Michigan on             stilts to raise awareness of the disability.

            Sauter, of Blissfield, will begin his journey May 5 in Lambertville near the Ohio border and hopes to walk more             than 100 miles a week over eight weeks until he reaches the northwestern part of the Upper Peninsula.

            He plans to travel lightly.

            Sauter, who has mild cerebral palsy, will stop by locations within communities to talk with people about the                     disability and United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan.

            Sauter is scheduled to be in Vandercook Lake on May 7-8 and Leslie on May 8-9.
            For information, visit www.stiltstory.org.

I search the web and raise money for charity with Everyclick.
Join me: http://www.everyclick.com/roylambeth

           A giant robot completed the London Marathon today – almost 120 hours after setting off.
           Read the news story                        More about his stunts for charity  

Michelle Frost completed The London Marathon on 4ft pegs in 8 hours. I am in touch with her if you would like to know more.
One report says:-
Michelle is a world record holder on stilts as she has recently completed the London marathon on stilts and she retains the record as the First person to do a marathon on stilts, listed in the book forever!
 The official report states:-results |
Flora London Marathon 2008 Results
runner details
PERSON     view pace graph
Name     FROST, MICHELLE L (GBR)   
Runner No.:     33074
Club    
Age group     W20
TIMES
5 km     0:47:13
10 km     1:35:00
15 km     2:25:05
20 km     3:29:02
half     3:39:41
25 km     4:19:37
30 km     5:30:45
35 km    
40 km    
finish     8:36:32
TOTAL
Position (overall)     34385
Position (gender)     10718
Position (age group)     687
Finish time     8:36:32
 
Attached are 2 photos of her during the marathon.
 
 
Kind regards,
Roy

       Subject:
        Here we go again!
        From:"Doug Hunt" <dhunt@participationhousebrantford.org>
        Date:Fri, 4 Apr 2008 15:00:00 -0400
        Hi Gary and Bill,
        I never give up!
        We are trying again to set a new record for most people on stilts. This time I have the help of  three High Schools in         my area.
        We are all set to go on May 15, 2008.
        attached below is a photo taken by our newspaper (made front page) from our last attempt.  The tall guy is me of         course. I will send more details later.

        Doug

        CANADA DAY 2006 MOST PEOPLE ON STILTS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT


Subject:Most people on stilts - Official Record!
From:Doug Hunt <stiltrecord@yahoo.ca>
Date:Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:15:36 -0800 (PST)


Hi,
It's official - Most People on Stilts
North Park Collegiate, Brantford, Ontario Canada
On May 15, 2008 625 people walk a distance of 100 meters on 12" high peg stilts for a

new World Record!
See link below and letter from David Gould (Throwdini) North America President. Note:
If you walked or helped in anyway you are eligible to order a personal certificate!
http://www.recordholdersrepublic.co.uk/searchresults.asp
 
Hello Doug:

I'm please to announce the recent stilt record you organized has been accepted as an
RHR Official World Record and appears on
Record Holders Republic ( www.recordholdersrepublic.co.uk ) under newest records OR a
search under STILTS.
INDIVIDUALIZED Official World Record Certificates are available to each of the participants.
The fee is $20 for the first and $15 for each additional certificate mailed to the same
address at the same time, regardless of certificate name.
Please pass this information on to everyone involved. Your timing was good, the record
has just made the deadline for inclusion in our new book, Believe The Unbelievable!
(Bartleby Press, coming soon), and appears a

Most People on Stilts: 625.
Doug Hunt. Doug Hunt organized a mass stilt walk of 625 people walking 328 feet (100 meters) on 12” peg stilts.
Participants interested in a certificate can reach me by sending an e-mail to:
david@recordholdersrepublic.co.uk  with a cc'd e-mail to  throwdini@knifethrower.com

Best regards,

Throw / David
US President, Record Holders Republic
The Great Throwdini — The World's FASTEST Knife Thrower
(The Rev. Dr.) David R. Adamovich
http://www.knifethrower.com
E-mail: throwdini@knifethrower.com
516.546.1425
876 Guy Lombardo Avenue
Freeport, NY 11520

For more historical Stiltwalking information in French, Spanish and English , Visit Lous Tchancayres, Folk and Artistic Group of People on Stilts from the Landes and the stiltwalkers and stilt fighters of Namur.
http://www.echasseurs.org
http://lous.tchancayres.free.fr/index-eng.html


Also visit the website of  'The Royal Stilt Walkers - Merchtem, Belgium'  , which is
one of the biggest historical groups practicing Stiltwalking all over the world.
These folks will be at the Texas State Fair in Dallas the end of September 2002.
Read the latest article about them HERE.