Charity match in Alberta lasts for world record 252 HOURS, raises $1.8 million

A charity match in Alberta has potentially set the world record for the longest hockey match played in history, lasting for 252 hours straight. The game began on February 4 in order to raise money for cancer research and raised a whopping $1.8 million for the illness with the game ending with over 5,000 goals scored. The game was the seventh edition of the world's longest hockey game, which began in 2003. 

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Ice Hockey Canada: Charity match in Alberta sets Guinness World Record for World's longest hockey game 

The world's longest hockey game is organised by Brent Saik, owner of Alberta Sports Vision Institute. In 1994, Saik lost his father to cancer, followed by his wife Susan a few years later. He decided to channel his grief into advocacy and continued raising funds for medical research starting the charity match event in 2003. So far, the charity has raised $5.47 million since its inception and surpassed its fundraising goals of $1.5 million this time around. 

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According to CBS Sports, the game itself was played in an 'NHL-style' bio bubble at Sherwood Park in Strathcona County to keep things safe with regards to the coronavirus pandemic. While no major injuries were reported, players reportedly had a lot of equipment break as a result of the elements reaching temperatures as low as -67 degrees Fahrenheit. The inaugural edition consisted of 40 players playing for 80 consecutive hours. Since then, the length of the game and the amount raised in donations have substantially increased. This year, Team Hope captured the title 2,649-2,528 over Team Cure.

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Speaking to CTV News, Saik said, "The Alberta government were awesome in helping me and explaining to me how it would be possible. We had to do an incredible amount of things to make that work. Our conditions were fine. Our prayers are for people. Their conditions are a lot worse than what we went through and that’s why we do this". The group is waiting for approval from Guinness World Records before the record can be official. They also broke their own records for lowest temperatures, most pucks shattered, most blisters, and most money raised during the event. Fundraising efforts for this year’s game will support a clinical trial of a new cancer drug called PCLX-001, which has shown positive results in treating blood cancers.

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(Image Courtesy: World's Longest Game Facebook)