A paddleboarder has smashed his seventh world record after becoming the fastest to paddle the length of Loch Ness.
David Haze paddled the length of the loch, which is around 23 miles long and nearly 800ft deep, on a custom-made board featuring Nessie herself.
It took him just five hours and 45 minutes – breaking the previous record by over an hour.
Mr Haze celebrated with a dram or two, and reflected on the journey he has made since being released from prison two years ago.
When he got out, he was determined to better himself and encourage others to do the same.
Now, with seven paddleboarding world records under his belt, he said: “It feels really good, I loved it, I’ve come so far since my first challenge. Loch Ness is the most famous loch in the UK and one of the most famous in the world.
“The Highlands are beautiful anyway but it’s nice to see the surrounding area from a different perspective, not many people get to see it from Loch Ness so it was lovely.”
‘I blame me falling in on Nessie’
The Scottish wind isn’t something Bournemouth-based Mr Haze is used to, and it added to his challenge.
He said: “It did get a little bit hairy out there. The wind picked up in the middle of the loch, the waves were probably rolling about 3ft or 4ft.
“I think I fell in more times in this challenge than I have in my whole paddleboarding career.”
However, he has a suspicion he knows what might have caused that: “I blame me falling in on Nessie, I reckon she knocked me in.”
Securing a world record isn’t an easy feat, with Mr Haze requiring multiple witness statements, two-minute-long videos every hour and a GPS tracker to prove he had completed the challenge.
‘The bravest thing you can do is ask for help’
After completing his latest challenge, Mr Haze reflected on all he has done since being released from prison.
He said: “I’ve come a long way in two years and I’m incredibly proud. I’d say to anyone really it doesn’t matter what your past is, it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you’ve made, just own yourself, believe in yourself and commit, it’s amazing what you can achieve in life.
“I’ve always said the bravest and scariest thing you can do is ask for help, own what you’ve done and believe in growth.”
The paddleboarder has been raising money for the Jubilee Sailing Trust through the challenge and will continue to do so with the auction of his board.
You can donate to Mr Haze’s fundraiser here.
