A skateboarder is hoping to smash not one, but two skateboarding world records in a single day to raise funds for a mental health charity.
Thirty-four-year-old Ryan Swain aims to beat the record for the furthest distance travelled on a skateboard in 12 hours and 24 hours. The current records stand at 124 miles and 261.8 miles respectively.
Mr Swain, from North Yorkshire, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is hoping to encourage others with the condition. He currently works as a motivational speaker, and his main aim is to raise awareness and money for MIND and help bring skateboarding to the forefront of mainstream sports.
He said: “Years ago, people used to look at skateboarding and didn’t take it very seriously. People would think it was something that only kids did, and it’s the same with ADHD.
“People think ADHD is hyperactive and something that only children have, but it’s really not that – adult ADHD is a thing.”
Mr Swain, who is receiving support from Team GB for his double world record attempt, says he picked up the sport again during the Covid-19 pandemic after his mental health began to suffer. “I started skateboarding in 2002 and have loved it ever since.
“I took a hiatus from it but, during the pandemic, when my mental health wasn’t so good, I picked up my skateboard again and that was the answer to all my problems during the lockdown.”
He has been training since December 2022 in preparation for the skateboarding challenge by going to the gym three or four times each week. The training is designed to help Mr Swain to cover an average of 30 miles every hour, but he said sticking to the pace will be a “struggle”.
“I’m going to put in a lot of energy and lots of stamina, but it’s about balancing that stamina and using it to my advantage. I’m not really getting hung up on the whole record thing – as long as I’m raising money and awareness for the charity, that’s all that matters.”
“However, I do want to bring this record back for Great Britain. I think it will be amazing for skateboarding going forward in the future,” Mr Swain added.
The record attempt will take place at Elvington Airfield in York on 8 May.
