Swiss sets ‘record’ for ripping fat phone book

Albert Walter accomplished the feat on Sunday during an event at a stadium in Leiria, Portugal, 20 Minuten newspaper reported on Monday.


Walter previously made a name for himself by ripping the New York phone book (1,400 pages) in two in 2.4 seconds.

“Compared to the New York directory the one for Munich is a real challenge,” he told 20 Minuten.

“It’s the thickest of its type and as well, it is of excellent quality, which makes it very difficult to tear apart.”

Walter said before the event he was doubtful about breaking a world record because he had been sick for two weeks, a period duding which he couldn’t train.

“At the beginning I didn’t want to go to Portugal,” said the Swiss man, who is 178 centimetres tall and weighs 93 kilograms.

“Happily, I changed my mind.”

Walter, who claims to have ripped up at least one phone book a week since he was 15, said it takes force, a good technique and concentration to tear a phone book in two.

He attributed his “success” to “all the long years of intensive training”.

Here's a video showing Walter setting another record — for speed — while tearing a smaller phone book in two (without using his knee):