Vancouver Island man looking to set 3 Guinness World Records on an electric mountain board

Bradley Smith has been electric skateboarding for the past nine years, a passion he says was "addictive" from the first time he tried it.

That passion, combined with personal tragedy, has led him to the path he's on today.

In 2019, Smith’s life took a turn he never saw coming.

“I recently lost my father to cancer,” said Smith.

Experiencing his father lose his battle with the disease changed Smith's perspective on life.

“I guess I needed that to just finally say, 'You need to follow through with what you want to do with your life,'” said Smith. “It was a big wake-up call.”

He has now branched out to electric mountain boarding and is pursuing a goal he has been contemplating for some time: challenging three Guinness World Records.

Beginning on June 1, he will attempt to set a new world record for the longest journey on an electric skateboard. He will also attempt to set a record for the longest journey in a 24-hour period on an electric skateboard and the longest journey in a single country on an electric skateboard.

In total, Smith expects to board 3,500-kilometres over the span of a month.

“(I'm) going from Saskatoon back to Victoria following the Trans Canada Trail,” said Smith.

He says the 24-hour record will be the most challenging to beat.

“Standing on the board for a long period of time is taxing,” said Smith.

Another challenge: Each charge is good for around 140-kilometres, meaning he is going to need to plan his stops accordingly.

“This is the most motivated that I’ve ever seen him,” said Nina Savino, Smith’s partner.

She is part of a team that has been working behind the scenes on logistics. Her role has also been to figure out what Guiness needs in order to set those new world records.

“(We've been) going through all the paperwork, reading through all the agreements and the rules that Guiness had put forth,” said Savino.

Come June, the team will be on Vancouver Island and Smith will be making the journey alone, but he says he feels as though his father – an adventurous man who taught him to always follow his dreams – will be there, along for the ride.

“That’s why I chose the month of June,” said Smith. “It’s his birthday and it’s right next to Father’s Day, so he’ll definitely be with me.” 

Bradley Smith rides his electric mountain board. (CTV News)