Richard Plaud’s dream of creating a matchstick model of the Eiffel Tower has seen a positive turn. Initially disappointed when his work was deemed ineligible for a world record due to the type of matches used, the Guinness Book of World Records has now reconsidered and recognized his achievement as valid and compliant with the rules. The official entry now acknowledges Richard Plaud’s 23-foot sculpture as the tallest matchstick sculpture in the world, located in Saujon, Charente-Maritime, France, on 7 January 2024.
The Guinness Book of World Records decided to review its initial ruling after understanding Plaud’s techniques and comparing his model with similar attempts. Mark McKinley, the director of central records services at Guinness World Records, expressed regret for any distress caused by the situation and stated that they have made adjustments to the rules to allow matchsticks to be snipped and shaped as needed. McKinley also expressed happiness in awarding Richard with the Guinness World Records title.
Plaud described the experience as an “emotional rollercoaster,” but he never gave up hope. He revealed that for eight years, he believed he was constructing the tallest matchstick structure. His journey began in 2015 when he purchased boxes of matches from supermarkets and manually removed the sulfur stub from each one. Afterward, he arranged with a manufacturer to receive headless matches directly, a factor initially deemed as grounds for disqualification by Guinness.
The news of Plaud’s struggle made global headlines when he criticized Guinness’ decision on social media. His childhood dream of obtaining a world record has now become a reality.
(Original article by Patrick Smith for NBC News Digital. Reuters also contributed.)
