- Title: ITALY: AQUAFAN PARK HOLDS WORLD KISSING DAY GAMES
- Date: 12th August 2003
- Summary: (U7)RICCIONE, ITALY (AUGUST 10, 2003)(REUTERS) 1. AQUAPARK SWIMMING POOL 2. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE BATHING 3. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING AT THE UNDERWATER KISSING COMPETITION 4. REFEREE TIMING CONTESTANTS 5. VARIOUS OF COUPLES KISSING UNDER WATER 6. ONLOOKERS CHEERING 7. MORE OF CONTEST 8. (SOUNDBITE)(Italian) PIER PIERUCCI, AQUAPARK MANAGING DIRECTOR, SAYING "Our park, as many other amusement parks, aims at creating an ideal city. In ideal cities the most important thing are peoples' relationships and our objective is to help them build these relationships, giving people the right settings to make friendships or even sentimental relations." 9. PEOPLE RUSHING THROUGH THE AQUAFAN ENTRANCE GATES 10. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SLIDING ON WATER SLIDES 11. COUPLE KISSING 12. CONTESTANTS WEARING NUMBERED SHIRTS 13. (SOUNDBITE)(I talian) MARCO, AN ITALIAN CONTESTANT, SAYING "I just hope our parents will not see us doing this on TV." 14. VARIOUS OF CONTESTANTS WEARING NUMBERED SHIRTS LINED UP BEFORE ENTERING THE SWIMMING POOL FOR A SECOND ROUND OF THE UNDERWATER KISSING CONTEST 15. (SOUNDBITE)(Italian) MICHELE AND GIOVANNA, ITALIAN CONTESTANTS, SAYING: (Michele, off camera) We have just met. (Giovanna) My husband didn't want to participate. I was a bit embarrassed and couldn't stop laughing when we were (kissing) in the pool." 16. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING AT BASKETBALL KISSING CONTEST 17. VARIOUS OF THE WINNING COUPLE, PERFORMING A LAST KISS AT THE UNDERWATER KISSING GAME 18. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING 19. COUPLE WINNING THE CONTEST WITH PEOPLE CHEERING Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 27th August 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: RICCIONE, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVA2QYEJDY1RPZMSPMOYH4FA2B2I
- Story Text: Italians have held their annual kissing contest.
The Aquafan park in Riccione, a holiday resort on Italy's
northeastern coast, proclaimed the World Kissing Day
Games open on Sunday (August 10, 2003).
Hundreds of people took part in this competition
performing their skills in extravagant events ranging from
underwater kissing to basketball kissing.
Underwater kissing proved to be by far the most popular
as several couples challenged each other in the longest
kiss in apnoea, while being rigorously timed by referees.
According to the organisers, the Aquafan enables people
to experience closer relationships in a safe, joyful and
perfect world, represented by the park itself with its many
events and facilities.
"Our park, as many other amusement parks, aims at
creating an ideal city. In ideal cities the most important
thing are peoples' relationships. Our objective is to help
people build these relationships, giving them the right
settings to make
friendships or even develop sentimental relations," said
Pier Pierucci, Managing Director of the Aquafan.
The formula seems to be successful as thousands
everyday queue at the parks gate and rush to conquer a good
spot at the pools. In a good summer day Aquafan sells over
10,000 tickets.
For some of the couples participating to the World Kiss
Competition the main challenge was to show their prowess as
good kissers even in difficult situations. For others it
proved to be an opportunity to charm and surprise their
partner and improve social interactions.
Some people struggled against embarrassment, some
others made new friends.
"I really hope our parents will not watch us doing
this," said Marco, a young Italian participating with his
girlfriend.
Giovanna and Michele made up a team when Giovanna's
husband refused to take part in the event.
"We just met," said Michele smiling. "My husband didn't
want to participate," explained Giovanna. "I was a bit
embarrassed and couldn't stop laughing when we were
(kissing) in the pool."
Another unusual event was the basketball kissing which
saw couples attempting to get as many balls through the
hoops as possible while kissing.
Andrea and Gianna, two 22-year-old students from
Riccione, won the underwater kissing competition with a
kiss that lasted a remarkable 1 minute and 24 seconds,
beating everyone else by 15 seconds.
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