who writes the guinness book of world records
Guinness World Records Guinness Superlatives (later Guinness World Records) Limited was formed in 1954 to publish the first book. Sterling Publishing owned the rights to the Guinness book in the US for decades. The group was owned by Guinness PLC and subsequently Diageo until 2001, when it was purchased by Gullane Entertainment. 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, while its museum attractions are based at Ripley headquarters in Orlando, Florida, US.
Stig Severinsen Combining yoga and his knowledge of physiology in freediving, Severinsen became a record holder of four AIDA freediving world records. He achieved two Guinness World Records in 2010: in March that year he swam 236 feet (72 meters) under ice wearing only swimming trunks and goggles, exceeding Wim Hof's record of March 2000 by 47.6 feet (14.5 meters); and in April, after inhaling pure oxygen, he held his breath for 20 minutes and 10 seconds in a tank full of sharks at the Kattegat Centre in Grenaa.[3] In May 2012 he was awarded the record of "Longest time breath held voluntarily (male)" by Guinness World Records for holding his breath for 22 minutes;[4] this record was achieved in a tank at the London School of Diving with the water cooled to 30 °F (-1 °C).[5] In April 2013 in Qorlortoq Lake in east Greenland, he set two new world records for "longest swim underwater - breath held": 500 feet (152.4 meters) while wearing a wetsuit and monofin, taking 2 minutes, 11 seconds,[6][7][8] and the following day, 250 feet (76.2 meters) wearing only swimming trunks.[9][10] He announced that these would be his last record attempts and he would now concentrate on teaching.[2]