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Bikini overload in Bondi record
Wednesday Sep 26 14:00 AEST
By Sean Cusick, ninemsn
It was a sea of skin, peroxide and fake tan — over 1000 women in bikinis descending on Bondi Beach in an attempt to beat a world record that didn't actually exist.
The event, organised as a promotion between Cosmopolitan Magazine and Gillette, aspired to set a Guiness World Record for the "world's biggest swimsuit shoot".
A blend of 100 paid models and many more volunteers — mostly more interested in the free $120 goody bag than the notion of creating history — gathered in the sun.
However, there was widespread confusion between the models and other attendees regarding how many posers were needed.
"I think the previous record is about 1000," said 20-year-old Jade in her pink bikini.
"No, it's only 400 we need," chimed in her blonde look-alike friend, Kate.
In fact, there was no previous record.
In keeping with Guinness protocol, an achievable but challenging goal of 300 babes in bikinis was set to be officially recognised.
After early jitters from event staff, a late rush of girls pushed the attendance to an impressive 1010.
As they posed for their record-creating photo — which Guinness officials dictated had to be professionally taken of girls strictly in two-piece numbers — including Bondi Blonde spokeswoman Jamie Wright at the front of the group.
It was this mass photo that separated the professionals from the volunteers — with the paid models in white bikinis suddenly wrestling their way towards the camera lens while others kept to the fringes and chatted with friends.
Australian Guinness representative Chris Sheedy was left with the challenging task of making sure the attempt was up to official protocol.
While Sheedy was happy to hand over the official documentation to Cosmopolitan magazine, let's hope he didn't notice the illegal one-piece suit behind him. The controversy!