Odin Blikra Vea and Askild Bryn, two Norwegians, have broken the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon with a time of 61 hours, 03 minutes and 34 seconds.
On May 30, some weeks after Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess master and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, concluded a chess marathon in the United States in an attempt to set a new world record, Blikra and Bryn announced their shot.
Interestingly, the GWR reviewed and ratified their attempt while keeping mute on Onakoya, who completed a record match on April 20, after days of mental endurance and self-denial of sleep. Onakoya played for over 58 hours at Times Square without losing to anyone.
While the Norwegians’ record of 61 hours may have surpassed Onakoya’s as the longest chess marathon, it is not on record that either of the two winners played without losing to anyone.
Onakoya played with Shawn Martinez, also a chess master. While the duo were breaking the existing record, they were raising funds at the same time to undertake a transformative global free chessboard distribution via the Gift of Chess to empower a large number of disadvantaged people, including children and victims of humanitarian crises.
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Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad from Norway were the joint titleholders until Onakoya’s attempt.
But Onakoya went all out to raise the bar beyond the duo’s 56 hours, nine minutes and 37 seconds’ game period achieved in 2018.
The delay in Onakoya’s official recognition raises some curiosity, but the GWR has not responded to an FIJ inquiry sent via its website on July 16.
STANDARD EVIDENCE REVIEW PERIOD
For standard record attempts, the GWR reviews documentation in 12 weeks and tells applicants whether their attempt has been accepted or rejected. When there are many applications, the waiting time may be longer.
READ ALSO: US Grants Asylum to Family of Nigerian Who Became National Chess Master at 10
At any rate, the waiting time for evidence review is a maximum of 16 weeks. By this rule, the GWR has one more month to decide on Onakoya’s record attempt.
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