Need a warm embrace? Woman in Aspen seeks world record for hugs at Winter X Games

Extreme hugging: Record sought at Winter X Games

ASPEN, Colo. — Dagny McKinley has this hug thing down to a science: Come in with open arms and squeeze real tight upon contact.

“That’s the best way to give a hug,” the Steamboat Springs, Colo., resident said.

McKinley should know, she’s trying to set a Guinness world record for most hugs in a 24-hour time frame. McKinley said she needed to embrace 5,001 people to set the record.

As of 7:30 p.m. Aspen time, the 36-year-old McKinley had embraced more than 2,400 people. She had until 8:30 a.m. Friday to accomplish the feat.

“We’re doing OK,” McKinley said.

McKinley set up a booth near the bottom of the stairs leading to the superpipe, embracing any willing spectator. Some shied away, but most were all too willing to give her a hug and sign her sheet to document her feat.

So, why the X Games to fulfill this quota of hugs?

“I think Aspen, all in all, has been really welcoming of it,” McKinley said. “I figured this would be an open crowd, kind of a younger crowd, open to hugging. It’s been awesome from all ages.”