Richmond Indoor Paintball to attempt Guinness World Record with 24 hour charity game

Thursday, November 5, Richmond Indoor Paintball will play for 24 consecutive hours in order to undertake a Guinness World Record attempt for Longest Game of Paintball. On top of running, sliding, shooting, and jumping for a whole day, they’ll also be doing it for a good cause: testicular cancer awareness.

Ryan Fitzgerald, owner of Richmond Indoor Paintball, says the attempt marks the perfect opportunity to support a cause very important to him and many of his customers.

“Testicular cancer affects men of the ages of about 13 to 28, which is the same age of about 80% the world’s paintball [players,]” says Fitzgerald. “Testicular cancer is easily treated as long as it’s found early, so it’s one of those cancers that can be easily averted.”

For the attempt to be successful, each of the 16 players involved must play for 24 straight hours, without substitutions or breaks. Eating and drinking while playing, with brief, scheduled and regulated bathroom breaks, Fitzgerald says their plan for staying alert is very simple.

“Red Bull,” he says.

The game will consist of successive games of King of the Hill. Teams will attempt to capture objectives such as buildings or zones, holding it for a certain amount of time to gain points. Fitzgerald says the biggest potential hurdle is people backing out during play, which would cause their attempt to be for naught.

“If anyone decides they want to leave, that they just can’t take it anymore, then it’s all over,” he says. “We have some physical people, so everyone knows what they’re up against, in terms of 24 hours of straight playing. I used to play professional paintball, and I got winded after a 10 minutes match, let alone a 24 hour.”

Fitzgerald says when it comes to their work with Testicular Cancer Canada, what he appreciates is the awareness the organization builds for testicular cancer is the real benefit.

“There are so many teenage boys especially, that don’t know how to check for testicular cancer,” he says. “Most people don’t even talk about it, because they’re too embarrassed to talk about it. The more we talk about it, the more lives we can save.”

The Guinness World Record attempt begins Thursday, November 5 at 12 p.m. For more information and how you can donate, visit Richmond Indoor Paintball online.