Turkish Cypriot rower achieves 4 Guinness records

World-breaking Turkish Cypriot rower Erden Eruç is now in the Guinness Book of World Records in four different categories, following a five-year journey across three oceans. He has already racked up a long list of achievements, including the record for being the solo ocean rower who has spent the longest time at sea - 312 days - while crossing the Pacific.

He was also recognized as having rowed the longest distance over his life with 26,000 sea miles by the Association of Ocean Rowers and received yet another Guinness record certificate, the Turkish daily Milliyet reported. Following his first record, he was announced as the first rower that had passed three oceans alone in 2012. Two years later, he broke another record by circumnavigating, powered solely by his muscles.

After studying mechanical engineering at Boğaziçi University, Eruç settled in the United States. On July 27, 2007, he set off from Bodega Bay in California to travel to Australia. He traveled across the Pacific Ocean and arrived in Papua New Guinea in May 2008. In January 2010, he reached Australia after having spent 312 days on the Pacific. He then crossed the Indian Ocean and arrived in the Atlantic. It took five months for him to cross the Atlantic, and then he headed to Venezuela. He returned to Bodega Bay on June 21, 2012. He attempted to reach Gallipoli from the U.S. by boat, but canceled the trip when he could not find sponsorship. "My only aim is to show the success of the Turkish people and contribute to world peace," he told Milliyet.