82-year-old Tony Fahey builds ‘walking on water’ machine for charity record

At 82, Tony Fahey is attempting something that sounds almost impossible, travelling across water using a machine designed to mimic the motion of walking. The British man has built a human-powered watercraft called the “aqua elliptica” for a 24-hour charity challenge, with the goal of raising money for Make-A-Wish UK. According to Make-A-Wish UK, Fahey planned to lead a four-person team at Sale Water Park in Greater Manchester in an attempt to set a world record for the longest continuous “walk on water”. The challenge combines endurance with an unusual piece of engineering, requiring participants to keep the craft moving across the water for an entire day. For Fahey, however, the attempt is about more than setting a record. After surviving a serious road accident and completing a long rehabilitation, he has continued training and taking on demanding challenges while using his efforts to support children living with critical illnesses.Tony Fahey aims for a 24-hour world record on waterFahey’s challenge centres on an ambitious endurance target, spending 24 hours travelling across the water using his specially designed machine. The attempt was planned for 7 and 8 May 2026 at Sale Wate...