Unicycling Cambridge University student gets juggling record
- Published
Record-holding juggler James started to learn the skill to beat exam stress
A unicycling Cambridge University student has juggled his way to a Guinness World Record.
James Cozens, 23, from Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire, juggled seven balls for 16.77 seconds at Selwyn College.
Participants must juggle for a minimum of 10 seconds for a successful attempt.
Mr Cozens developed his own software "to provide a juggling analysis" which "helped a lot trying to understand my efficiency as a juggler", the engineering PhD student said.
He now holds the joint record title for "most objects juggled while riding a unicycle".
Jasper Moens, from Belgium, set the record for juggling seven items in April 2022, which was equalled by Mr Cozens last month, external.
Speaking about his preparation for the record attempt, Mr Cozens said: "I think the technical approach has really helped because having this academic background means I can develop the software and see where my technique needs to improve, increase my efficiency and it's been a lot of fun."
He juggled seven balls while riding his unicycle
His software shows tracking, visualisation and simulation of "siteswap" routines.
Siteswaps are sequences of numbers representing the relative duration of throws in a juggling pattern.
Mr Cozens took up juggling during his first-year university exams "just as a stress relief and also as a great break from the academic grind".
"Then Covid happened, there was a bit more free time and a lot of time to learn new tricks and so on, just a lot of fun," he said.
"I just carried on juggling, juggling, juggling."
The record was achieved at his college with two timekeepers, two independent witnesses - and the feat was verified via the Guinness World Records website.
Mr Cozens's feat has been recognised by Guinness World Records
Mr Cozens, who spends about an hour practising each day, developed his software as a hobby but it has now been integrated into his PhD work and was first tested at the 2022 European Juggling Convention.
He hopes it will help other jugglers to improve their technical efficiency and help adjudicators evaluate performances during competitions.
"This is increasingly important, given that those in the juggling industry are hopeful that the sport can make its Olympic debut in the next couple of decades," said Mr Cozens.
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