The northern German city of Bremen claimed the title of pool noodle capital on Saturday after setting a Guinness World Record for the largest number of people floating simultaneously on the colourful swimming aids.
A total of 434 participants drifted through the water at the Horner outdoor pool, comfortably surpassing the previous record of 330 set in the US state of Minnesota in August 2023.
The event, dubbed "Mission Pool Noodle," was organized by local radio station Bremen Vier and Bremen's public swimming pool operators. Swimmers could take part using their own pool noodles or borrow one provided by organizers.
To encourage participation, admission to the outdoor pool was free. Families flocked to the venue from the morning onwards as temperatures reached around 35 degrees Celsius.
Long queues formed as participants waited to collect their pool noodles, with some standing in line for around 20 minutes before entering the pool.
Shortly before the attempt, announcements instructed all bathers to leave the water. At exactly 1 pm, the pool was cleared and participants were allowed back in one by one via a single staircase while an official counted them with a click counter.
To secure the record, the rules required participants to keep both their heads and feet above the water while floating.
When the final count of 434 was confirmed, cheers erupted.
