EXETER — It would seem that an extended conga line and an ice-skating rink would be an odd match. But on Sunday, the two came together in record-breaking fashion.

Students believe they broke the Guinness World Record for longest on-ice conga line at the Phillips Exeter Ice Arena Sunday. The previous record was 252, and Phillips Exeter junior Michael St. Denis said they had 260 people connected in the conga line.

To break the record, the 260 students, faculty members, staff and others in attendance had to maintain the line, with each person staying in contact with the person in front of them at all times, for 15 minutes, while the line looped around the rink. Each member of the line had to be on ice skates.

St. Denis, of Auburn, Maine, said his cohort Brian Weiniger had always wanted to break a Guinness World Record.

“One night we were looking through their record book, and we saw the conga line record,” St. Denis said. “We thought it was very breakable.”

Before the attempt, St. Denis said he had some anxiety that the overnight snowfall would keep people from coming to the rink, but was hopeful the numbers would materialize.

According to St. Denis, the Guinness organization officially verified their record attempt and sent them an “evidence packet” for their attempt.

“We have independent witnesses, and we’re videotaping the whole thing for them,” St. Denis said.

Weiniger, a postgraduate student from Warren, N.J. who plays on Phillips Exeter’s varsity hockey team with St. Denis, said he felt a school of their size would be the perfect candidate to break the record.

“We’re looking pretty good right now,” Weiniger said as he was entering participants’ names into a spreadsheet on his computer.

One of the biggest challenges was making sure every participant would have access to skates. St. Denis’s father, Jerry, said Ron Cain, owner of the MHG Ice Center in Saco, Maine, donated hundreds of pairs of skates for the event.

Once all the participants were ready, they were lined up in a loop around the rink and the slow conga march began. The first try at the record was unsuccessful and broke down after around eight minutes. The line restarted and completed the 15-minute attempt on the second try.

When it was over, the jubilant participants mobbed Weiniger and Michael St. Denis at center ice in celebration.

“We just squeaked it out,” St. Denis said.

Students who participated enjoyed being part of the one-of-a-kind event.

Luke Wellington, a junior at Phillips Exeter, said it was “interesting” to be a world-record holder and couldn’t wait to gloat about it to his sister, Anna, who couldn’t make the event because of a sports practice conflict.

Wellington said an e-mail was circulated among the students early last week looking for everyone and anyone to participate.

“It feels pretty good to be part of history,” Wellington said with a grin.

“It was pretty cool,” said senior Christine Kong. “I kind of just came on a whim.”

Kong said the event was a nice opportunity to have people in the community come together for a common purpose.

“It was a nice bonding experience for the whole school,” she said.

Weiniger said the previous record was held by a group of people in the United Kingdom.

“I don’t know if they’re going to try and beat us back, but we’ll be up to the fight,” Weiniger said.