After 72 hours hugging a Tree, Truphena’s record now faces its toughest test

After completing her tree-hugging marathon, Kenyan environmentalist Truphena Muthoni now enters the most critical phase of her Guinness World Records journey: verification. 

Guinness World Records does not recognise an attempt as official until the record holder submits a full set of evidence and it is independently reviewed and approved.

According to Guinness World Records guidelines, breaking the record is only the first step. 

Proving it happened under the required conditions is what ultimately determines whether the title becomes official.

Truphena must submit a detailed cover letter to Guinness World Records explaining her attempt in full. 

This document serves as a roadmap for the records management team reviewing her submission. It must clearly state who attempted the record, the final duration achieved, the exact date and time the attempt started and ended, and the location where it took place.

The cover letter must also explain how the record was achieved, how the time was measured, why she chose to attempt the record, and include a complete list of all evidence being submitted for review. 

Guinness World Records requires this letter to be precise, accurate, and written as the final document before submission.

Guinness World Records requires at least two independent witness statements for all record attempts. 

These witnesses act as the eyes and ears of Guinness World Records and must not be related to Truphena or connected to the event in any way that could benefit them.

Because Truphena’s attempt lasted more than four hours, multiple witnesses working in shifts are required. 

Each witness must clearly state the exact times they observed the attempt, confirm that all rules were followed, and describe what they saw in detail. 

The final witnesses must also confirm the total duration achieved by reviewing earlier statements.

As a time-based record, the tree-hugging attempt requires accurate timekeeping. Guinness World Records demands written statements from qualified timekeepers or witnesses explaining how time was measured and recorded throughout the attempt.

In addition, a detailed logbook must be submitted. This log records the attempt hour by hour and minute by minute, documenting continuous activity, rest periods, and any unexpected events such as weather changes or interruptions. 

For marathon-style records, these logs are essential to prove that the rules were followed consistently from start to finish.

Complete video footage of the entire attempt is compulsory. Guinness World Records requires uninterrupted video evidence showing the start of the attempt, the full duration, and the end. 

If cameras needed to be changed due to battery limits, a second camera must have continued filming without gaps.

The video must clearly show Truphena maintaining contact with the tree, include visible time references, and feature the independent witnesses where possible. 

Background music must be removed so that natural audio can be reviewed. The footage must be clear, stable, and submitted in accepted formats and file sizes.

Alongside video footage, Truphena must submit high-quality photographs taken at different stages of the attempt. 

These images must show preparation, the attempt in progress, and the final moment when the record was completed.

Photographs must be clearly labelled, show different angles, include witnesses, and provide a sense of scale and continuity. Guinness World Records also uses these images for publicity if the record is approved, making clarity and quality especially important.

All evidence must be uploaded directly to Truphena’s Guinness World Records account. Files cannot be compressed or shared via external platforms such as YouTube or file-transfer websites. Each document, image, and video must be uploaded individually, clearly named, and organised to make review easier.

Once all required materials are uploaded, Truphena must formally submit the evidence for review. 

Guinness World Records will not begin assessment until this final step is completed. The review process can take up to twelve weeks, unless she opts for a paid priority review service.

Only after Guinness World Records completes its review and confirms that all guidelines were followed will Truphena’s achievement be officially recognised. 

If approved, she will be certified as a Guinness World Records title holder and listed in the official database.

For Truphena, the paperwork, documentation, and evidence submission are just as important as the endurance and determination that kept her hugging the tree for hours on end.