The University of Otago first-year history student planted his lips on the Mini at 9am on Wednesday and kept them glued to the car until 1.26am yesterday to beat 19 other competitors in the Mintshot kiss-the-car competition at the University Union in Dunedin.
One grape, a sip of green tea, a few alfalfa sprouts and a couple of cashew nuts was all the breakfast the champion kisser allowed himself as he mentally and physically prepared for hours of no eating, drinking or going to the toilet during his marathon effort smooching the Mini.
In the days leading up to the event, he had changed his diet and limbered up with yoga to ensure he was in prime snogging condition, he said.
By 10.30pm on Wednesday, 12 competitors had come unstuck and the remaining eight were told if they wanted to win the car, they had to keep "kissing" it while standing on one leg with their hands behind their back.
"It was really full on. My mind was starting to go crazy.
"I was shaking, pumping my leg up and down to try and keep the blood flow-ing. My foot went numb, my knee swelled up. People were telling me my hands were purple.
"My lips were getting sore, my face was sore. It was a big mind game."
By 1.20am, just two students were left.
His main competitor had been "like a Buddhist monk" and had barely moved for more than 16 hours, Mr Sharp said. However, his grounded foot gradually began to slide out behind him and his lips slowly slid down the side of the car before he "fell off" the Mini.
Mintshot marketing manager Rebecca Tapley said it was heartbreaking to see the runner-up walk away with nothing after his 16 hour 25 minute ordeal.
Mr Sharp said he felt "completely out of it" when he finally parted from the Mini and would have collapsed had competition organisers not stepped forward to give him a congratulatory hug.
Asked if the effort was worth it, Mr Sharp said he would be thinking about the mental and physical pain he overcame when driving around town in his bright red new car.
