Australian surfer sets new world record for longest session ever surfed

A man from Australia recently beat the record for the longest surfing session, clocking in at over 40 hours.

Blake Johnston, who afterwards described himself as "quite fried," was carried to Cronulla beach in south Sydney on the shoulders of pals. Early on Thursday morning, Johnston started surfing to raise awareness for mental health. Around A$335,000 (£185,000; $225,000) was donated to charity as a result of his effort. Johnston continued surfing into the night and finished with almost 700 waves after using spotlights to illuminate "The Alley," a portion of Cronulla's surf. Josh Enslin, a South African, held the previous record with a time of 30 hours, 11 minutes.

The 40-year-old Johnston, a former competitive surfer and distance runner, was at risk for shark attack, hypothermia, dehydration, blindness, infected ears, and jellyfish stings. On Friday at noon, he briefly came out of the water to receive eyedrops and have a medical checkup. Johnston departed the beach wrapped in a woollen blanket and a black cowboy hat.