World record broken at Wellnergy 2026
The dust is starting to settle on what was our biggest Wellnergy Festival ever, as the 2026 edition created memories and moments to last a lifetime for the thousands in attendance.
One of the most remarkable achievements over the course of the two days was an inspiring world record broken for 36 consecutive hours on a SkiErg.
In total, more than £8,000 was raised for The Good Life Orphanage in Mombasa, Kenya, and Hattie’s House, which is a subsidiary of the headline charity, in memory of Hattie Dixon, who sadly passed away in 2021 at the age of 15.
The team collectively completed 427 kilometres, so to put that into perspective, it is the same distance as travelling from Wimbledon Park north to Crimond, a small village in Aberdeenshire.
Cheered on by those in attendance at Wellnergy, day and night, history was made at 5pm on Saturday 13 June as the last row was completed to the roar of the crowd to break the record.
Kris Woollard, who was integral not only to organising the challenge but also part of the team that completed it, said: “It was a huge success. Everyone came through it unscathed and we all had a great time despite the lack of sleep.
“The toughest moments, I think, were the overnight sessions. The festival was obviously closed and empty, and we also had to keep the noise down, so the atmosphere was so different to the daytime.
“We were staring out toward a pitch-black field with just our thoughts to focus on. Also, some of us woke up from naps literally minutes before jumping on the machine.
“We all had exactly four-and-a-half hours between stepping off the machine and stepping back on. This gave us plenty of time to shower, rest, eat, drink and try to nap.
“Our team member Ben brought the biggest tub of pasta I've ever seen and was dipping into that between every set.
“We had great options with all the food vans at the festival, and we were given lots of energy drinks, protein bars and snacks by the other traders once they realised what we were doing.
“It was more intense than it needed to be due to the friendly competition between the team members. Everyone wanted to beat their last distance, and it was interesting to see the different styles. No technique was the same.
“What got me through was the fact there were always at least two or three team members around to offer motivation and support. Our team member Anish Doshi was the only one who didn't even attempt to get some sleep. He was there for every single switch over and, to be honest, is the toughest person I know."
Eddie Dixon, who is the father of Hattie, was also crucial in co-ordinating the world record challenge.
He added: “The impact of the fundraising will directly support over 300 people in Kenya, contributing to staffing, training, transport and essential resources. The team’s overall total raised over the past five years is approaching £70,000.
“The money raised will go a very long way. We lost Hattie five years ago on Thursday 25 June, so it is all poignant at this time of year.
“We thank everyone for their support, from those who took part in the challenge, those who donated, cheered us on, and the team at Wellnergy.”
Among the standout performances was James Coneboy, who delivered the highest average distance of the event, an incredible 7,024 metres in just 30 minutes.
Impressively, he repeated this effort seven times across the duration of the challenge, underlining the exceptional physical standard maintained throughout.
Hattie’s brother Max also took part in the challenge in memory of his sister, alongside other members of the family including their cousins. Max and his family put in a strong shift and contributed immensely throughout the 36 hour challenge.
Kris, who had previously held world-record attempts on a local level, brought his next challenge to Wimbledon Park, with Wellnergy Founder and CEO Nick Steiert providing a supportive voice.
Kris was "overwhelmed" by the support, especially from Hattie's family and friends.
“Wellnergy has been a massive part of this world record. Nick was so supportive from the very start and was always available for advice and information. I've never tried to organise anything like this before, so having his experience on hand was a huge help,” Kris continued.
“I'm overwhelmed by the support we got from everyone, but mostly the friends and family of Hattie. It was wonderful to have them all there at the end to see us break the record, and they are my motivation to keep doing something like this every year.
“The atmosphere was amazing and a far cry from last year's world record, which we did on our local high street.
“We had good music and constant cheers and comments from festival-goers. It was great to be supported by so many like-minded people who hold health and wellbeing above all else. I'm sure we all subconsciously pushed that little bit harder when we noticed people looking our way.”
The event was not without minor setbacks. Technical issues with the SkiErg computer and brief electricity interruptions posed challenges, but both were resolved quickly without major disruption.
Kris has ambitions to attend Wellnergy once again next summer, through another fitness challenge or by sampling the inclusive environment.
This year, Wellnergy brought together a range of inspiring speakers discussing the importance of mindfulness and personal growth, alongside fitness and yoga sessions. The two days were packed with talks, activities and workshops from leading experts and brands.
Kris added: “We will 100% be at Wellnergy next year. We are currently discussing another fitness challenge, but if that doesn't happen for some reason, I'd be more than happy to return as a customer.”
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