Port Macquarie rallies behind world record attempt

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The New South Wales Mid North Coast community of Port Macquarie has rallied behind an attempt to set the record for the world's largest paddle out. The event has been held in memory of a young man who died after being bitten by a shark 10 years ago.

Transcript

00:00 A huge crowd has turned out at Port Macquarie's popular town beach for today's world record

00:07 paddle out attempt.

00:09 It's been organised by Kevin Young, whose son, Zach Young, died 10 years ago after being

00:15 bitten by a shark when he was just 19 and out surfing at Coffs Harbour.

00:21 This event has been organised in memory of his life and the figure that needed to be

00:26 beaten today was 512 people out in the surf at one time for the paddle out.

00:33 And Kevin Young is saying more than 600 have paddled out today from the young and the old

00:39 gathered here together and that it appears the record has unofficially at this stage

00:44 been broken.

00:45 It was pretty difficult in the water.

00:46 A few people got smashed but it was the biggest thing I've ever seen.

00:47 Well over 600 people in the water.

00:48 I don't know what the number is.

00:49 I know we're way on top of the number.

00:50 That's for sure.

00:57 The requirement today was that everybody in the paddle out had to hold hands for a 60

01:02 second period before coming back in and there was drones in action to make sure that was

01:08 verified.

01:09 And among those to take part in the paddle out today was a shark bite survivor, 44 year

01:15 old Toby Begg who was bitten by a white shark at Port Macquarie's Lighthouse Beach in September

01:22 this year.

01:23 He suffered severe injuries to both his legs and today was his first time back in the water.

01:29 And as he was pushed back up the beach at the end of the paddle out a huge cheer erupted

01:34 from everybody gathered here at Port Macquarie.

01:37 So certainly a very feel good community event today in Port Macquarie and unofficially a

01:42 new world record set for the largest paddle out.

01:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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