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13th October 2017

Guinness World Record smashed at Exeter College!

egg dipping world record breakfast

A champion breakfast at Exeter College!

 

History was made at Exeter College today, as the Guinness World Record for the most people dipping egg ‘soldiers’ simultaneously was officially broken.

To celebrate world egg day, Exeter College’s steward, Philip Munday, catering manager Lesley O’Donovan, and the British Egg Industry Council hatched a plan to write Exeter College into the record books by getting at least 179 people simultaneously to dunk toast soldiers into soft-boiled eggs. Staff, fellows and the early birds among the MCR and JCR student bodies arrived in hall at 8.30 this morning to attempt to beat the previous record, which was set by 178 soldiers from HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps at Imjin Barracks in Gloucestershire in 2014.

With military precision Exeter’s catering team served a perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg and two toast soldiers to every one of the scores of people who had flocked to hall. The rules were straightforward, but strict: everyone must dunk each soldier twice and eat the eggy toast at the same time.

With a countdown from Exeter’s sub-rector, Dr Barnaby Taylor, and overseen by officials from Guinness World Records and the College’s chaplain, the Reverend Andrew Allen, the record attempt commenced. The simultaneous dunking was easy, of course, but everyone had to remain cooped up while a headcount was taken and ratified. After an anxious delay the result was confirmed: 183 people had simultaneously dunked their egg soldiers, establishing a new world record.

It’s important to thank Exeter College’s fabulous catering team for making the record possible – and for providing a delicious breakfast – as well as the British Egg Industry Council and Guinness World Records. As world records go, this may not equal the efforts of Sir Roger Bannister, the Exeter alumnus who was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, but it was an enjoyable moment that united people across College and may provide a brief and amusing footnote in Exeter’s illustrious history.

Floreat Eggxon!

Students and staff helped to break the world record. Image: British Egg Industry Council

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