This Australia Day marked the 10th annual Havaianas Thong Challenge, and kicked off the day’s festivities at five of the country’s most iconic beaches including North Bondi, Cottelsoe, Mooloolaba, Glenelg and Torquay main beach.
Managed by Experience Agency URBAN and Havaianas (Aqueo Imports), the Havaianas Thong Challenge has evolved to become an Australia Day tradition for Aussie Day revelers and media nationally, who chopper in cameras to capture this huge, uniquely Australian floating-spectacle as part of its Australia Day coverage each year.
4859 people participated across the country, with Western Australia smashing their 2014 record of 2099 to take out a new world record of 2210 people joined together and floating on giant Havaianas at Cottesloe beach. Despite rough conditions causing the cancellation of New South Wales’ world record attempt, some 2000 turned out to celebrate and enjoy the festivities at North Bondi beach.
Havaianas donated $69,590 to participating Surf Living Saving Clubs’ Nippers.
URBAN co-founder and event director, Ryan McDonough, said: “It was another huge day for us with record numbers of participants at three of five participating beaches. And despite North Bondi having to be cancelled, the atmosphere was terrific, which is testament to the publics continued support for the event.
“The Havaianas Thong Challenge has again affirmed its status as Australia’s most successful and enduring example of experiential marketing,” added McDonough.
