By Martina Čermáková

He was entrusted with representing the Czech Republic this summer. Determined to outstrip his competitors and break last year’s arduous record in a marathon in which legs are of no use, Marcel Rimel claimed the silver. Equipped with skillful hands, exceptional physical and mental endurance, and a dose of stimulating substance, he masturbated for 6.5 hours. “I would have lasted even longer without a problem,” he explains, criticizing the organization error that deprived him of the “master-masturbator” title. Although he was the last to leave the couch/bed room, the starting times discrepancy had him lose to a Brit with an earlier takeoff.

Rimel, a 20-year-old from Ostrava, attained eminence at the annual Masturbate-a-thon in London August 5 when he competed with more than 200 self-pleasurers. He has a proud mother and girlfriend, the feedback on his achievement is all positive, and Rimel’s name stands strong and rigid in many people’s minds.

The publicity burst had him splashed permanently onto his secondary school’s bulletin board, splattered in newspapers, at various events, and Kraus’s Relax, Please talk show. “Everyone’s real supportive — especially my friends, my mom, and my classmates. The really sincere praises come from men,” Rimel explains. He hasn’t come across any averse responses. Rimel’s sponsor, Clavin- product aiding erection, interprets the attention as reflecting the liberal attitudes held by Czechs when it comes to sexuality.

Rimel’s trip to stardom was no picnic. Natural talent won’t do everything. In his Blesk interview, he describes the drain: “I started off masturbating seated. After three hours my back was killing me, so I had to stand up and switch from time to time between the two positions.” Masturbation at the competitive level is a demanding job. Some contestants give up after a few minutes. Rimel had no definite strategy and made decisions along the way, but was resolute to get off as last. It’s the mental framework that separates the best from the average.

No matter how high Rimel ranks on www.celebrita.cz’s meter, there will always be dissenters to remind us how moronic this is. Their point is well-taken: an athlete should train; Rimel’s four sex-free days are perhaps not enough of a sacrifice. Charity events such as the Masturbate-a-thon are, however, not wholly meaningless. There’s a deeper concern underlying this solo-sex marathon: the lifting of taboos surrounding masturbation and the encouragement of safe-sex exploration. The money generated by the contestants’ sponsors (18,000 Kč in Clavin’s case) goes to Marie Stopes International and Terrence Higgins Trust charities. “An event like this, combined with charity, definitely influences the public view surrounding the taboo of masturbation,” affirms Ladislav Chromek, Clavin’s product manager.

It has been more than three months since Rimel’s victorious climax, and media coverage is thinning. “I’ve earned some money, graduated from school, and people recognize me. I’m living my normal life and will see what comes my way next,” he comments. Is Rimel’s performance old news? For one, it’s doubtful that Czech men would so easily dismiss their prodigy of endurance. Secondly, Rimel’s cooperation with Clavin is far from at an end. The sponsor is convinced of his handiness to win gold at the 2007 Masturbate-a-thon edition. Marcel is not decided, but if he’s in a good shape he will give it a whirl.

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