Canadian BMX rider breaks record for longest manual

Jan. 20 (UPI) -- An Alberta BMX rider broke a Guinness World Record with a 2,126.87-foot manual -- a wheelie trick where the rider is not allowed to pedal while the wheel is off the ground.

Max Ganakovsky of Calgary said he had long aspired to set a Guinness World Record before attempting his record-breaking manual, which broke the previous record of 1,112.2 feet. His wheel was off the ground for just under 2 minutes.

"It feels surreal. Being a Guinness World Record holder has always been one of my dreams," Ganakovsky told CBC Radio's Calgary Homestretch. "And it feels great to have this dream come true."

Ganakovsky said the most important parts of the trick are acceleration before the manual and making sure the wheel is lifted at the right moment so as not to slow down the momentum.

"This manual skill is kind of very important for my sport, and I always do it every day when it's nice weather," he said.