A total of 53 surfers from Bali in Indonesia and as far as Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, France and Hawaii rode a wave at the popular "Halfway" break on Kuta Beach, breaking the old world mark of 46 people set at Sydney's Manly Beach in May.

Coordinated by the Quiksilver Boardriding School, the record coincided with an

international junior surfing contest known as the "King of the Groms" and was organized by Balinese surfers.

"It was a case of bodies and boards everywhere, but everyone's pretty stoked," Quiksilver surfwear spokesman and attempt co-ordinator Simon MacGregor said.

He said the new mark would be registered with Guinness Records.

The attempt was organized to remind international audiences of Bali's legendary beaches and surf, rather than recent terrorist bombings which have seen tourist numbers plummet.

The new record was set in near-perfect conditions, although fewer than half of the 128 people who registered for the attempt made it onto the wave at the same time.

"With everyone strung out right along the beach it was pretty hard to keep it all together," MacGregor said.

"There were a few close-out waves and then it was just a case of 'OK, everybody go'."