By MITCHELLE STEPHENSON For The Capital
Published 05/14/09
An Edgewater teen, Evan Wollman, 19, will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for distance traveled on a jet ski in a six-hour period. Friday, he'll make his attempt on the Severn River between the Pearl Harbor Memorial (Route 50) Bridge and the Naval Academy (Taylor Avenue) Bridge between 1 and 7 p.m.
Wollman is attempting to break the record to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer research and treatment. Wollman's father, Dr. Sheldon Wollman, an Annapolis area periodontist, passed away earlier this year after a three-year battle with the disease.
An official judge with Guinness World Records, Carlos Martinez, will be on-site to determine whether Wollman has broken the current record of 127 nautical miles in six hours.
Wollman plans to set up two buoys and ski in a circuit around them. The buoys will be one mile apart. His family and friends will be set up in boats on the river to serve as witnesses, cheerleaders and pit crew.
Wollman is no novice to competition. He has been swimming competitively since he was 5, and has been named All American in the 100-yard breast stroke for three years in a row. In addition, he holds seven state swimming records.
Originally, Wollman wanted to try to break the record for jet skiing the farthest in 24 hours. But he couldn't get permission from local authorities to stay on the river through the night, so about 10 days before he was slated to make his attempt, Wollman and Guinness officials altered the plan to try for the farthest distance in six hours.
He said that he wants to do this because he and his father "had an extremely close relationship." He continued, "My father was my idol and best friend. He would take me to practice every morning at 5:30 a.m. and watch for the entire time, then take me back again in the afternoon and watch the entire time again."
About three years ago, after a clean bill of health from the previous year, results of one of Dr. Wollman's tests came back abnormal. Upon further review, doctors at Johns Hopkins determined that his cancer was outside the margins and so he was not a candidate for surgery. Dr. Wollman underwent various treatments that kept the cancer in check. On April 5, he lost his battle.
The younger Wollman said that his dad only spent a few days in hospice care and then wanted to be at home with his family when he died. Wollman was hopeful that his dad would live long enough to see him break the record, but now that his dad is gone, he is more determined than ever.
Several local sponsors have helped Wollman to prepare for the event, including area businesses like Rita's Italian Ice, Robeks and Lithopress. His sister, Stacie Wollman, is closing her Annapolis law practice for the day to spend the day on a boat cheering him on.
Evan Wollman wants anyone interested in supporting his cause to make checks payable to Johns Hopkins Medical Center. He has a tax identification number for donors who contact him.
Wollman has estimated that if heaverages 25 miles per hour, that he should be able to include two five-minute pit stops for refueling and nourishment. He has calculated that to be the minimum to break the record.
"But if the weather is good and the water isn't choppy, I should be able to do closer to 40 miles per hour," he said.
"I'm going to blow this record out of the water," Wollman added.
To contact Wollman, e-mail pev.wollman@gmail.com.
But to cheer him on, simply find a good spot on the Severn River either from land or on a boat tomorrow.
Mitchelle Stephenson is a freelance writer living in Edgewater.
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