Richard Plaud, a Frenchman with big dreams, spent eight years of his life building a huge model of the Eiffel Tower using matchsticks. The model stands at an impressive 23.6 feet tall. Plaud used over 700,000 matchsticks and 50 pounds of glue for the project. He hoped to set a Guinness World Record for the tallest matchstick sculpture.
Guinness World Record Rejects Hard-Work Of 8 Years Making 23ft Eiffel Tower With matchsticks
Plaud faced disappointment when Guinness officials rejected his attempt, saying he couldn’t use the matchsticks available commercially. Even though Plaud had worked hard, Guinness said the matchsticks couldn’t be altered too much. They couldn’t be cut, taken apart, or changed too drastically. This meant Plaud’s model didn’t meet the requirements for the record.
Plaud shared his disappointment on Facebook, questioning the decision made by Guinness. Despite this setback, his matchstick creation remains a symbol of his determination.
The 47-year-old, as you’d imagine, was far from impressed, and took to Instagram to let off some steam. He wrote:
“The Guinness Book judges gave their verdict, without having seen my tower in real life.
“It’s pretty astonishing, and actually rather annoying. Not exactly fair play.
“What hurts most is that they don’t acknowledge the work that I put in, the time I spent, the mental energy – because I can tell you it was not easy.”
Plaud wrote: “As referenced in the guidelines: The matches used must be commercially available. Proof of this must be provided as evidence.
“As the matchsticks were not commercially available, and were not recognized as matchsticks the attempt has been disqualified.
“BIG DISILLUSION, DISAPPOINTMENT AND INCOMPREHENSION.”
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The current record holder, Toufic Daher from Lebanon, built a matchstick Eiffel Tower 21.4 feet tall in 2009, using 6 million matches. Plaud’s model is taller by about two feet.
Guinness has agreed to reconsider Plaud’s tower after admitting they might have been too strict. Plaud’s journey began in December 2015, driven by a childhood dream of setting a world record.
Despite challenges, he meticulously built his matchstick marvel, even striking a deal with a manufacturer for bulk matches. His masterpiece was finished on December 27, 2023, honoring Gustave Eiffel’s legacy on the centenary of his death.