Model who claims she has the longest legs in the world reveals how her 51-inch pins have hindered her fashion career because at 6'5" she is deemed 'too tall' for the catwalk 

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A 22-year-old from California believes she has the longest legs in America - and while she is busy building a career as a model, she has been turned down by some agencies for being too tall.

At 6'5" tall, Chase Kennedy's legs measure 51 inches - only 0.9 inches off the world record. The leggy beauty from San Luis Obispo was nicknamed 'legs' and 'giraffe' in school, but says that her assets have helped her excel in sports.

And now Chase has emerged to trump the current US record holder, Holly Burt - whose legs measure an impressive 49.5 inches. 

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Leggy lady: Chase Kennedy (left and right) is 6'5" tall and believes she has the longest legs in the US 

Impressive length: The 22-year-old's legs measure 51 inches and are only 0.9 inches off the world record 

Who would have thought? Chase, who lives in California, said she has been turned away from modeling agencies because she is too tall 

Close call: Chase's 51 inch legs trump former record holder Holly Burt's legs, which measure an impressive 49.5 inches

'I am proud of my legs – I wouldn't want anything different,' she said. 'I believe I hold the record for America's longest legs and I love being tall. 

'When I saw Holly's video on Barcroft TV I was kind of bummed because I thought maybe her legs were longer than mine and I will never get the title. 

'But then I measured myself and found out I am actually longer than Holly's legs.' 

While Chase is currently in a relationship with a 6'4" man named Jason, she admits that dating has been a problem in the past.

Stretch it out: While wearing heels, Chase can easily grab on to the net of a basketball hoop 

Easy to reach: Chase barely has to stand on her toes to reach the top of this door frame 

Helping hand: Chase is more than head taller than her mother Chris, who is 5'11" 

'I feel that men are intimidated by my height and it can be hard to find someone who is taller,' she explained. 'In high school dating was very difficult because men were intimidated by my height and I towered over a lot of them. 

'When I date I prefer taller guys but I have dated shorter guys who are like a couple of inches shorter. 

'It really doesn't matter to me too much as long they're not below 6'1". 

Although she now has confidence in her sizeable stride, Chase hasn't always loved her height. By the time she started high school at 13-years-old, she already measured 6'1" - which is above the height of the average adult man. 

Known for her height: Chase, who is pictured with her brother Shane, said she was nicknamed 'legs' and 'giraffe' in school

Picture perfect: Chase can be seen flaunting her leggy physique on the beach in California, near her hometown

Tall order: Chase, pictured with her 6'7" father Matthew, was already 6'1" by the time she was 13 years old 

Unhappy: 'When I was younger, I wished I was smaller just so I could blend in,' Chase said of her height

'When I was younger, I wished I was smaller just so I could blend in,' she recalled. 'Because you are standing out, it's kind of hard to feel like you belong. People would make comments about it and call me "twiggy" or "giraffe". 

'When I was in high school, I always wore flats and I would see girls in high heels at dances and I'd always want to be able to do that. 

'I was always just so awkward that I didn't want to stand out or anything. 'But as I have grown older I feel like it's better, it makes me who I am.' 

Aside from the taunts, Chase's stature made her popular in sports including volleyball and basketball.

All dressed up: A young Chase can be seen wearing a cowgirl outfit in her backyard

Towering over her peers: Chase (back row, center) is pictured during her fifth grade school talent show 

Strike a pose: Chase was as tall as her brothers Devin and Shane - even when they were in elementary school

Scenic tour: The sibling can be seen hiking in Mammoth, California, when they were younger 

Growing faster than her peers: Chase was by far the tallest out of her friends when she celebrated her 11th birthday in June 2004

'I played in high school and it definitely helped in getting picked for a team,' she said. 'In those sports you always want the taller person.' 

When Chase was a teenager she was scouted several times by modelling agencies, but as she continued to grow, the offers began to dry up. 

'I have been getting into modeling for the past three years,' Chase noted. 'I'd go to agencies like Next or Ford or any of these large ones and they would look at me and turn me away because of my height. 

'Being so tall, a lot of the agencies have height limits that are 5'11". So when you have someone that's 6'5" walking in they will like my look but then say we can't do anything with you. So then I would just go out the door. 

'A lot of agencies in LA have a height limit. The highest I have seen is 6 feet but usually it's 5'11". 

Natural advantage: Chase (left) can be seen towering over the opposition during a middle school volleyball game

Tip off: Chase used her height to her advantage during a middle school basketball game

Family affair: Chase is pictured posing with her brothers Devin and Shane following their graduation from California Polytechnic State University in 2014 

 'I actually had agencies tell me that they never had to turn someone away because they are too tall - it's usually because they are too short.' 

Shopping for clothes can also be difficult, and Chase explained: 'Buying clothes is a challenge because of my legs are so long.

'So if I was to try on shorts that would be a normal length on someone else, thy would look like short shots or underwear on me. So skirts and dresses are all a little bit of a struggle.'

Chase's height comes as no surprise as her dad Matthew stands at 6'7" and her mom Chris is 5'11". Meanwhile, her brothers Shane and Devin are also 6'5" and 6'6", respectively.

'I feel sorry for anyone who sits behind us at the cinema – we're like a human wall,' she said. 

Brotherly love: Chase posed with her brothers Shane (center) and Devin (right), who are 6'5" and 6'6, respectively, during a trip to Europe in 2013

Fashion faux pas: 'Buying clothes is a challenge because of my legs are so long,' Chase explained

Tricky: When Chase was a teenager she was scouted several times by modelling agencies, but as she continued to grow, the offers began to dry up

Title holder: Holly Burt currently holds the record for having the longest legs in America with 49.5 inch legs