Slovenian father-daughter break Guinness World Record
A Slovenian father-daughter duo has unofficially broken a Guinness World Record after sailing their small dinghy, a type of open sailboat with no cabin for shelter, continuously for over 100 hours.
Jona, 16, and her father Luka Kobler set off from the marina in Izola, sailing 347 nautical miles in 102 hours and 27 minutes in the north Adriatic. They now await official verification for the longest distance sailed in such a vessel without assistance or touching land, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.
Their challenge, named Jonuka400 - Mission Breathless, was a journey dedicated to raising awareness of pulmonary hypertension, a rare disease of the heart and lungs that leaves patients breathless after even minimal exertion.
"Our message is that even with this disease, with a timely diagnosis and the right medication, you can live life to the full, just as in sailing, where you can successfully catch the wind in your sails with good adjustments," Jona told the Slovenian Press Agency.
The pair battled extreme fatigue and unpredictable weather: long periods of complete calm that stalled their progress to powerful bora winds and challenging conditions at night.
"We sailed for more than four full days and nights with hardly any sleep," the family team said. "The challenges demanded every last atom of our strength."
Throughout the voyage, their support team published daily stories online, cleverly weaving together the duo's experiences on the water - the effort, emotions, and internal battles - with the real-life stories of people living with pulmonary hypertension.
The aim was to demystify the condition, break down prejudices, and shed light on the reality of living with an often misunderstood and invisible illness.
