- Title: ITALY: ANNUAL UNDERWATER KISSING COMPETITION
- Date: 11th July 2004
- Summary: (L!2) RICCIONE, ITALY (JULY 11, 20040 (REUTERS) SWIMMING POOL WITH PARTICIPANTS GETTING IN WOMAN JUDGE WITH NOTE-BOOK AND STOP-WATCH IN HAND THE FIRST THREE COUPLES WHO ARE TAKING PART IN COMPETITION ENTER RING IN POOL VARIOUS OF COUPLES KISSING UNDERWATER (4 SECONDS) JUDGE VARIOUS OF COUPLES KISSING UNDERWATER (19 SECONDS) (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) WOMAN CLIMBING OUT OF POOL / CONTESTANT, ANGELA, SAYING: "I even swallowed some water, but it's a lot of fun." VARIOUS OF CONTESTANTS KISSING WITH CROWD CLAPPING HANDS JUDGES WRITING FINAL WITH LAST YEAR'S WINNERS, LORENZO SAGGINI AND SAMANTHA CITTI, WEARING BLUE BIB AND WINNERS OF 2004 FESTIVAL OF FITNESS IN MIAMI, WEARING ORANGE BIBS, FRANCESCA RINONAPOLI AND ESTEBAN GIOUGOBAZ. VARIOUS OF CONTESTANTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WINNER ESTEBAN GIOUGOBAZ SAYING: "It's a sensational day. We never expected to win again in Italy - because we felt like the outsiders but at the end we made it and we are happy about it" BATHERS IN POOL WITH LIFE-GUARDS MONITORING (3.09)
- Embargoed: 26th July 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: RICCIONE, ITALY
- City:
- Country: Italy
- Topics: General,Quirky,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA6PDW2UNIRZXCT4UGKPQY6G249
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Smooching and hugging -- Italy's annual underwater
kissing contest gets underway in Riccione.
The Acquafan park in Riccione, a holiday resort on
Italy's northeastern coast, hosted the 2nd World Kissing
Day Games on Sunday (July 11).
While thousands of Italians headed into the mountains
and to the seaside at the weekend to escape the summer
heat, thirty-two couples stayed cool and locked lips
underwater for as long as possible.
As contestants kissed and battled their way to the
final, some 3,000 spectators whistled and cheered.
"I even swallowed some water, but it's a lot of fun",
said contestant Angela, after getting out of the pool.
At the final show-down for first place, winners of last
year's contest were unable to beat a U.S. couple -- this
year's winners of an underwater kissing festival at the
Miami Fitness Festival.
The American couple Francesca Rinonapoli and Esteban
Giougobaz, got to the first place with a 1.10 minute-
smooch.
"It's a sensational day", said Esteban Giougobaz "We
never expected to win again - and in Italy - because we
felt like the outsiders but at the end we made it and we
are happy about it".
Although only in its second year, the underwater
kissing event is a success -- a cool option for hot-blooded
participants and 'escapees' from the Italian summer heat. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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