[trux]

I actually do not think you are right. As far as I understood the rather complex system of rules, appendixes of rules, and appendixes of appendixes, and their interpretation by the President Bill Strömberg, the latest appendixes (from around 2005) apply the competitions rules for record attempts too. So in fact the record rules are even stricter than the competition rules, since there are some additional restrictions applicable at the records. From this point of view, it could be right that lanyard may be mandatory. On the other hand I remember Bill telling that lanyard is not required when there is a safety diver below the bottom plate. So maybe Martin is finally not quite so right when trying to discredit William's record too (though I do not know if there was a safety diver below the bottom plate in William's case).

However that's not the real problem. The real problem is the complicated system of rules that is so little transparent that even top international judges, and even members of AIDA's DC are not able to interpret it correctly (as we saw in the other thread about this record). Hopefully this is being worked on and the rules will be simplified and unified soon.