Air Force Academy to Attempt Record

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On a Lighter Note

http://www.gazette.com/entertainment/air-94261-world-force.html

February 16, 2010 11:26 AM
Kate Jonuska
SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE
Apparently, the people over at Guinness World Records take the playing of imaginary instruments quite seriously, or so found the Air Force Academy Athletics department as they planned their most recent and rather wacky promotion: Rock for the Cure, an attempt to break the world record for largest air guitar ensemble during half time of the Air Force Women’s Basketball game against New Mexico on Saturday.

“The record is 1,436, held by a university in Canada,” says athletic marketing assistant and event organizer Matt Swearingen, who says the Falcon Athletic Center’s capacity exceeds 5,000. “We’d love to pack the place, just blow the roof off the building and crush the record, so we can be sure we’ll hold it for a long time. We’ve got to get (the record) back to the United States.”

The world-record attempt was conceived as a way of boosting attendance at the game, which the Academy has dedicated to breast cancer awareness, providing information about early detection and cancer support organizations and offering free admission to all comers clothed in pink.

The female-friendly theme seems fitting seeing that Saturday is National Girls and Women in Sports Day, and Academy coaches are hosting a free clinic for female athletes in eighth grade and younger before the game.

“There’s so much going on in people’s lives that’s serious, so you need to take some time to be a little goofy and get out there with your friends,” says Swearingen. “We thought anybody could lay down a riff on the air guitar.”

Turns out that everybody can play, but not just anyone can take home the record. Guinness World Records has strict guidelines for hopeful air guitar ensembles, including that each participant must sign a ledger — witnessed by two people — and the group must be led by an air guitar expert, someone with experience in recognized air guitar competitions.

In addition, the group must play their invisible guitars in unison for at least three official air guitar moves. Yes, there are official moves, such as The Who’s windmill and AC/DC’s Angus Young duck walk.

“There’s all kinds of documentation, 15 pages of guidelines we need to follow,” says Swearingen. “It’s kind of a big deal if you’re going to be in the record book next to the woman with 8-foot-long fingernails or the world’s the tallest guy. You have to earn it.”

Anyone interesting in participating can log on to Air Force Athletic’s Facebook page (search “Go Air Force Falcons”) to choose the perfect song to pretend to play to. Wear pink for free admission, or log on to goairforcefalcons.com to purchase tickets. As for potential expert leaders, the choice is still up in the air and Air Force athletics would love to hear from any experienced air guitarists in the Pikes Peak Region ready to help bring the record home.



World record air guitar attempt

What: Join the crowd in an attempt to earn a Guinness World Record at Air Force Women’s Basketball vs. New Mexico.

When: 2 p.m. Saturday

Where: Falcon Athletic Center, Air Force Academy

Tickets: $5 for adults, $2 for youth and free when wearing pink. To purchase tickets, visit www.goairforcefalcons.com or call 472-1895
 
Air Force came up short in a bid for the Guinness World Record for most air guitarists in one venue. The game drew 956 air guitarists, which was short of the record of 1,436 set by a university in Ontario, Canada.
 
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