A blind skateboarder from Michigan has broken the Guinness World Record (IS2) for a 50-50 grind on a rail for a distance of 22 feet and 5 inches.
Blind Skateboarder Breaks Guinness World Record for a 50-50 Grind
Daniel Mancina, 35, said he started skateboarding at the age of 13, the same year he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. The condition affects the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of the eye and often leads to complete blindness.
The condition in Daniel Mancina progressed slowly at first, but he eventually determined he had lost too much of his sight to continue skateboarding.
Years later, Mancina decided to give skateboarding another try, despite having only minimal sight in one eye.
“I rely on my white cane the most, using it to scan my environment and to find obstacles while skating,”
“Being a blind skater, I have to take my time to feel obstacles and have a good understanding of them before I start skating.”
Mancina told Guinness officials
Mancina, who is now completely blind, said he is constantly updating his technique.
“My favourite trick changes all the time,”
“I get obsessed with a trick for a while and then kind of move on to new ones. I really love skating flat bars the most though.”
Daniel Mancina
Daniel Mancina’s Guinness World Record Breaking Trick
Mancina did a 50-50 grind — a trick where the board slides on a bar or other surface — for a distance of 22 feet and 5 inches, earning the record for longest 50-50 grind on a skateboard (IS2). IS2 is Guinness’ category for record-breakers with visual impairments.