Four extraordinary pickleball enthusiasts successfully served their way into the history books, completing a grueling 48-hour continuous pickleball match at Ace Pickleball Club in East Pennsboro Township in Cumberland County.
The quartet—Andrew Hunter, Renee Sipos, Steven Dunham, and Steve Lesko—smashed the existing Guinness World Record for the “Longest marathon playing pickleball (doubles),” previously certified at 34 hours, 5 minutes, and 55 seconds. Their incredible, sleep-deprived marathon spanned the Thanksgiving weekend, concluding on Sunday after two full days on the court.
More than just a quest for glory, the attempt was a powerful fundraiser. Each player represented a charity close to their heart, collectively raising over $4,000 for four different causes:
Andrew Hunter: Market Square Presbyterian Church’s homeless outreach.
Renee Sipos: Four Diamonds, an organization supporting children with cancer.
Steven Dunham: National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder.
Steve Lesko: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
The rules of the Guinness World Record required the four players to maintain the same partners throughout and provided only a five-minute break per hour of play, which could be banked. This limited rest meant the players endured extreme physical stress, with estimates suggesting they each burned between 12,000 and 18,000 calories—equivalent to running four to six marathons.
The successful 48-hour effort is pending final certification from Guinness World Records officials, who will review the complete video and witness logs.
