A group of curlers has wrapped up 80 hours of play on the ice in Coldwater, unofficially setting a new world record for the longest curling game.

The exhausted group celebrated and reflected on the four-day event on Monday evening.

“This is without question the toughest and stupidest thing I've ever done in my life,” said curler Jeff VanBodegom. “The toughest part was at 3 o'clock in the morning when nobody else is around and you're cold and you're tired and you're grumpy … and there's nothing you can do about it.”

The Coldwater team’s achievement beats the current record of 73 hours held by a group in Scotland.

Curler Bill Pearce, who participated in the Coldwater event, says it was a challenging team effort.

“The toughest part is to keep the other nine curlers … on the same rhythm,” he said. “Just helping each other through the lows and enjoying the highs.”

Volunteers were on hand to help take score, and to support the team.

In order to meet their goal, the curlers took short breaks every two hours, and received a two-hour “sleep break” for every 8 hours played.

The curlers still need to verify their record with officials at Guinness World Records.

That’s a process that could take 6 to 9 months.

The achievement is about more than bragging rights. 

The Coldwater curlers were also raising money for the cancer support centre Gilda’s Club, the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre, and the Coldwater Curling Club.