Many students remember flipping through Guinness World Records books at school book fairs, scanning pages filled with unbelievable challenges, unusual talents and record-breaking moments from around the world.
That was exactly what Brayden Slater set out to do earlier this week.
Now 21, the Durham College Sport Management graduate returned to campus Monday with one goal: earn a place in Guinness World Records.
At the Campus Ice Centre at Durham College’s Oshawa campus, Slater attempted four official Guinness hockey challenges.
By the end of the event, he had outperformed multiple standing world marks.
For the passing challenge, Slater partnered with longtime friend and former co-worker Matthew Papas.
The duo, who have known each other for nearly five years after working together at Pro Hockey Life, completed 43 passes in one minute between the blue lines. The current record is 34.
He delivered an even bigger margin in puck control. Slater flipped the puck on his stick 40 times in 30 seconds, doubling the existing record of 20.
In the shooting challenge, he fired an estimated 45 pucks on net in one minute from the neutral zone, surpassing the standing record of 37.
He also attempted the record for most targets hit in 30 seconds. The record was four.
“We couldn’t make that one,” he says, “but the targets were pretty small.”
The moment was years in the making.
“I saw a Dude Perfect YouTube video when I was a kid, the world’s highest basketball shot,” Slater said. “It’s something I’ve always had in the back of my mind.”
Turning that idea into an official attempt took patience.
“I sent an application and waited about eight months for it to come back,” he said. “Once I was approved, I knew it was a good time.”
Each challenge demanded precision and speed under strict guidelines.
“This process is about a year and a bit of prep,” Slater said, referring to the time spent researching records and completing the application process.
Once approved, he worked with Durham College staff to organize the event, gather required evidence and ensure each attempt met Guinness standards.
Slater said he felt nervous heading into the event but proud of how smoothly it ran.
“I didn’t know much about how this process goes. It was a learning curve for me,” he said. “But the team here was fantastic. Everybody was really excited to get going.”
Guinness World Records requires detailed documentation and media coverage before attempts can be officially reviewed.
If verified, Slater’s results could place him among thousands of athletes and performers listed in the organization’s global database.