Pennsylvania Man Skips Stone A Record 51 Times

A Pennsylvania man cast a stone that skipped on water a whopping 51 times, shattering the old world record of 40.

Russell Byars, a 43-year-old engineer from Pennsylvania, shattered the previous world record of 40 skims on July 19 but it took officials from the Guinness Book of Records until this weekend to declare him the new record holder.

Before declaring him a record-holder, Guinness World Records experts had to analyze film of Byars' toss, checking the concentric circles in the water by each skip. He estimated his stone traveled about 250 feet.

"I actually threw 40 stones that day, but that was the first skip that I threw," Byars told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which confirmed the record with Guinness officials.

As a professional stone skipper, Byars can add the accomplishments to his multiple State and World Championships. Byars took up the sport just eight years ago while walking his dog.

He set the record throwing using a baseball pitcher's windup with a sidearm release, giving it spin and a massive follow through.

For you stone skippers, Byars says he tries to use smooth, rounded stones of about three to four inches across.

The old record, was set in 2002, and had been held by 42-year-old Kurt Steiner.

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