The Craze of Water Fighting hits the world
People have always been interested in soaking other people with water. From using water guns to water balloons to splashing each other in the pool; water fights have always been popular. The reason for the popularity of water fights is the simple fact that no one gets harmed with water. The worst that can happen in water fights is getting really really wet. Even in paintball, getting hit while playing can actually hurt, but water does not hurt. Over the years, the rising security concerns and health issues in sports, people look for innovative ways to have water fights.
The humble water gun was invented during the cold war in America because of advances in plastic technology. This gave rise to the concept of water fights. The water pistol was produced in the 1960s with the help of basic plumbing techniques. Since then, water guns became more and more popular with newer techs and specs. The production of motorised water guns that could shoot streams of water much farther has given new meaning to the traditional street sport of water fighting. The biggest invention to hit the world of water guns was the Super Soaker invented by designboom in 2010. This gun was invented by Lonnie Johnson by using air pressure to deliver the longest jet of water, by hand pumping the gun. This innovative device led to the increased popularity of water fights. Children, as well as adults, started having these harmless fights wherever they could.
Water fights have become so popular that the festival of World Wide Water Fight, which started in 2004 in New York City, has spread around the world. It will take place in London during the month of August. Water fighting is a very interesting way to spend some leisure time with friends and family. An organisation called the ‘Shadow Government’ oversees the rules and regulations of StreetWars, the official name given to the sport. Participants pay £40 to become members, and then they are given a target to follow and soak the opponents with water. The intenders can participate anytime they want, before or after work, and on the weekends as well. People wait for their opponents while keeping their eyes on the potential threats, who might soak them. Participants consider it a very interesting activity and say they love the thrill of battling to wet someone, while the excitement of watching their own backs keeps them on their toes. The event initially sparked security concerns in major cities, as the residents mistakenly thought the water guns to be real ones.
There are other major water fighting festivals that take place around the globe. The biggest water fight-ever took was held in Spain in 2007, and featured almost 2700 people. Another notable event was organized in New Zealand last year to highlight the presence of the sport. The organisers managed to attract 1500 people to a water fight, which was setup to make people aware that nearly 80% of children in Asia are deprived of clean water. Diseases such as typhoid, cholera and malaria are spread due to the usage of unclean water. The event was sponsored by UNICEF. Almost 1800 dollars were raised during the one-day event and the funds were sent to a charity in Laos to help the children gain access to clean drinking water.
Water fighting has come a long way and is gaining immense popularity in different regions of the world. It is full of loads of fun and requires a lot of skill to effectively soak an opponent while staying unaffected from the attackers. In the future water fights will just grow in popularity, with children and adults taking part in this fun-packed activity.
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