Behind the unprecedented Guinness World Record show in Cat Ba

'This is a completely new record in the Guinness system, so all criteria were built and checked at the most detailed level,' Ms. Sonia Ushirogochi - senior referee of Guinness World Records (GWR), revealed after the appraisal session.

Two Guinness World Records have just been set in Cat Ba, during the Symphony of the Green Island show, including “Largest Jetskis formation launching fireworks” and “Most backflips on a flyboard in one minute” by athlete Tomasz Kubik.

Behind this impressive achievement are months of preparation, practice and a rigorous global judging process - something that has never happened before with any show in Vietnam.

Jetski team shoots fireworks to set world record

A bold idea and months of preparation

In early 2025, a proposal to set a Guinness record was sent from the organizers of the “Symphony of the Green Island” show to the GWR. What made the process take so long was not the administrative procedures, but the “unprecedented” nature of the show itself.

“This is the first time Guinness has created its own set of criteria for an offshore performance,” said Sonia Ushirogochi, a senior judge at Guinness World Records. She said that each category of the show, from the synchronized jetski formation, the cannon trigger mechanism, to the sensors measuring the speed and rotation direction of the flyboard, must have an objective verification mechanism, sufficient to independently evaluate the final result.

All the record details were exchanged continuously for months.

From that point on, a series of technical exchanges took place between the production unit and Guinness representatives.

A record is not an award, but a certificate given based on accuracy and reliability. The show in Cat Ba did just that.

Ms. Sonia Ushirogochi - senior referee of Guinness World Records

Unprecedented rigorous assessment

Once the criteria were approved, the on-site verification process began. Ms. Sonia personally went to Cat Ba Central Bay on May 21 to coordinate with the technical team to inspect all the components involved in setting the record.

Weight at GWR inspection in Cat Ba

For the synchronized jetski fireworks formation record, each jet ski must be piloted by a real person, maintain a stable formation for at least 20 seconds, and fire the fireworks while moving. Standing still or firing the fireworks slowly is not allowed.

“We check that every jet ski is in operation, that the fireworks are fired at the right time and in the right position. All of this is recorded with multiple camera angles, combined with a team of independent witnesses,” she said.

As for the flyboard record, the rules require athletes to perform complete 360-degree flips - meaning the starting and ending points coincide, within 60 seconds.

Tomasz successfully performed 43 complete backflips

“We have to make sure that all the data is cross-checked with multiple sources – multi-angle video , independent witness teams and technical equipment,” she said. “Even for individual events, like the flyboard record, Tomasz’s 44th somersault was not counted because it was done half a second after the stop signal. We only recorded 43 complete somersaults in the time allowed.”

Every action is recorded by a multi-angle camera system, compared with the formation map, the execution time and the sensors mounted on the device. This data is sent to an independent witness team and a Guinness representative for post-production verification. “We don’t just observe with the naked eye. We compare every detail with the pre-agreed technical data,” said Sonia.

When all efforts are "responded" by the world

For Tomasz Kubik, a flyboarder and member of the H2O team, being recognized by Guinness is more than just a personal honor. “I’ve set world records before, but this time it felt different. Everything had to be precise down to the second. When I completed the last flip, I knew I had done something very special,” he said.

According to Tomasz Kubik, during practice, he once achieved 46 consecutive spins - which opened up the possibility of breaking the record during the show season that lasts until early September in Cat Ba.

Audiences are likely to witness Tomasz's next record-breaking performance.

For the jetskiers, the challenge comes not only from the technical difficulty but also from the weather and the pressure of operating in sync. “We hardly sleep the night before the assessment,” said Jordan Marie Marples, a Jetskier with H2O. “Every jetski has to move in the right direction, fire off the fireworks at the right time, and coordinate like a military formation. There is no room for error.”

“We had to practice for hours at sea, coordinating with sound and light signals in complex real-life conditions. Not every show requires such precision. I have performed in Dubai, China, but I have never seen a stage at sea with such beautiful nature and organized to such high standards as here. The athletes had many special experiences," he shared.

The show has attracted visitors since its rehearsals.

The two Guinness records set in Cat Ba are the result of applying an international standard organization and inspection process, carefully prepared from the technical, personnel to actual operations - with precision controlled to every second, every movement.

The 50,000m² performance space on the sea, the unprecedented fireworks system in Vietnam, international standard sound and light equipment, and the coordination of hundreds of personnel from many countries - all made a miracle.

“We don’t just see records,” Sonia said. “We see precision, effort and the spirit of daring to reach the unprecedented.”

Show with two Guinness records carries the value of global standards

With Cat Ba, it is not just a show, but the first time Vietnam has been recognized by the world with a stage located in the middle of the ocean - where every spin, every curve and every streak of light carries the value of standards.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phia-sau-show-dien-dat-ky-luc-chua-tung-co-cua-guinness-the-gioi-tai-cat-ba-185250526153542467.htm