The first person to reach the North Pole has long been a matter of controversy and debate between two American explorers, and their supporters, both of whom claimed to have been the first, and both of whom disputed the other’s claim as a fraud, whether intentional or not. Robert Peary, travelling with Matt Henson (USA), indicated he had reached the North Pole on 6 April 1909, however Frederick Cook, claimed he had done so a year earlier, on 21 April 1908. Despite investigations into the Continue reading →

The most wins in an NHL season is 62 by the Detroit Red Wings who achieved this in the 1995/6 season.

The most points scored in an NHL career is 2,857 by Wayne Gretzky (Canada) for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St Louis Blues and New York Rangers between 1979 and 1999.  The points total comprise 894 goals and 1,963 assists achieved in 1,487 games. In his whole profesional hockey career, Gretzky scored a record 1,072 goals. In addition to his 894 NHL regular season goals and 122 Stanley Cup goals, he scored 56 in the World Hockey Association (WHA), 1978-79.

The youngest player to score a competitive maximum break was Ronnie O’Sullivan (UK, b. 5 December 1975), who was 15 years 98 days old when he achieved the feat during the English Amateur Championship (Southern Area) at Aldershot, Hampshire, UK, on 13 March 1991.

The world’s longest non-stop solo sailing race is the Vendée Globe Challenge, which starts and finishes at Les Sables d’Olonne (France). The first race started on 26 November 1989. The distance currently sailed without stopping is 22,500 nautical miles (41,652 km). The race is for boats between 50 and 60 ft (15 -18 m) complying with I.M.O.C.A. 60 foot Class Rules, sailed single-handed.

The fastest time to complete 100m whilst throwing and catching a yo-yo is 13.9 seconds by Taro Yamashita of Littleton, Massachusetts, USA at the 1996 Yolympics at Portsmouth, New Hampshire on 25 May.

Thomas Edward Godwin (GB) (1912-75) cycled 120,805 km. (75,065 miles) in 1939, or an average of 330.97 km. (205.65 miles) per day. He then went on to clock up a total of 160,934 km. (100,000 miles) in the 500 days to May 14, 1940.

The youngest Antarctic trekker was Teodor Johansen (b. 14 August 1991) who at 20 years, 4 months, and 29 days old successfully traversed Antarctica. He commenced his journey from the Axel Heiberg on 26 November 2011, reaching the South Pole on 18 December 2011 and ending at the Hercules Inlet on 12 January 2012. A total distance of 1,665 km was recorded to have been completed during a supported and wind-assisted team expedition. The expedition followed in the footsteps of Roald Amundsen, who holds several Continue reading →

Stephen Hendry (Scotland) (b. 13 Jan 1969) became the youngest World Professional champion, at 21yr 106 days on 29 April 1990.

4 x 400 m 3:15.17 USSR Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Maria Pinigina, Olga Bryzgina Seoul, South Korea 1 October 1988