14 DAY TRIAL // At first glance, Bertie looks just like any other tortoise. Sluggish, round around the middle, and happy to go through life one lazy day at a time. Put him on a race track, however, and Bertie will show you what he's really made of.
Recently, this tortoise from Brasside, Durham, ran at astounding 18 feet (about 5.48 meters) in just 19.59 seconds, reaching the top speed of 0.62 miles per hour (0.99 kilometers per hour) and setting a new world record.
That's right, Bertie now officially holds the title for the absolute fastest tortoise anywhere in the world. Needless to say, owners Marco Calzini and wife Janine could not be prouder.
“They may not usually be known for being fast movers, but Bertie is the tortoise equivalent to Usain Bolt,” Guinness World Records jokes.
The previous record was held by a tortoise named Charlie. To win the title, Charlie managed a speed of 0.27 miles per hour (0.45 kilometers per hour). Not to be cruel, but Bertie's running abilities pretty much put Charlie's to shame.
In fact, the tortoise's owners say that, ever since they learned about Charlie and his accomplishments, they've been making Bertie run to see if he could do better. On each occasion, Bertie managed a better time than Charlie.
Now that he's a celebrity, Bertie even has a girlfriend. Her name is Shelly and the two share a home at Adventure Valley, a park owned by Marco and Janine Calzini.
