UC Irvine students love a challenge. And they brought that competitive spirit to the Anteater Recreation Center fields Tuesday afternoon when 3,875 participants broke the Guinness world record for largest water-blaster fight.
Anteaters easily bested the record’s previous holders, residents of Valladolid, Spain, who rallied 2,671 people in a water-pistol fight organized by the city’s council in 2007.
“The event definitely helps boost school spirit, especially since we don’t have a football team,” said Patricia Morales, a third-year sociology student. “It also helps freshmen meet people and feel like they’re part of a community.”
Philip Robertson, an adjudicator with Guinness World Records, was on hand to certify the results, counting players as they made their way through turnstiles at the ARC and subtracting those who left early.
UC Irvine’s achievement will be officially noted on the Guinness World Records website beginning Monday, Sept. 30.
Breaking Guinness world records has become an Anteater tradition. For the last three years, UC Irvine has competed with the University of Alberta in Canada for the world’s largest dodgeball game – with the title going back and forth. UC Irvine’s 2012 record of 6,084 participants, however, still stands, so students this year had to tackle a different challenge.
“People know us as the school that breaks world records,” said Jesus Garcia, a second-year political science student who ran around the field gleefully targeting his dorm roommates.
The event took place during the inaugural Blue & Gold Spirit Rally, one of many activities scheduled for UC Irvine’s Welcome Week, during which more than 6,000 freshmen and transfer students join the campus community.
The day had the feeling of a homecoming rally, as student group representatives lined up along the field to sell food and drinks and others set up booths for face painting and washable tattoo application. Student performers and Peter the Anteater showed up for the fun too.
“It was so refreshing!” said sophomore Lauren Villegas of the water-blaster battle. “Thank God for the sunny Southern California weather.”
On Wednesday, a day of philanthropy called “UC I Give Back,” as many as 1,000 Anteaters will volunteer at elementary and middle schools in Santa Ana and Tustin, in partnership with THINK Together, a nonprofit that provides resources to help students succeed academically.
Welcome Week concludes with a Thursday night screening of “2 Guns” in Aldrich Park and a Friday afternoon visit to Newport Beach, where students will take full advantage of UC Irvine’s coastal location with kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
Other events during the week include Art Lab, an “Aldrich Park After Dark” concert, an after-party at The Hill and an ASUCI open house.
With 3,875 participants, UC Irvine set a new Guinness world record Tuesday for the largest water-blaster battle.
Steve Zylius/UC Irvine CommunicationsSchool flags are displayed at the New Student Convocation.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsMembers of UC Irvine’s spirit squad lead new students in the ”Zot!” cheer during the convocation at the Bren Events Center.
Jocelyn Lee / UC Irvine CommunicationsAt Monday’s Anteater Involvement Fair, sophomore Daniel Paras peers through a homemade poster promoting the IMED community service club.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsUC Irvine’s lion dance team, the Southern Young Tigers, performs in Aldrich Park during the fair.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsStudents applaud the campus’s Chinese Association Dance Crew at the Anteater Involvement Fair.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsIncoming Anteaters do the ”Zot!” cheer during Monday’s New Student Convocation at the Bren Events Center. They met the chancellor, vice chancellors and deans at the kickoff event.
Steve Zylius/UC Irvine CommunicationsThe crowd mills through more than 400 booths Monday at the Anteater Involvement Fair.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsA student from the gold-shirted team seems to find himself in enemy territory.
Jocelyn Lee / UC Irvine CommunicationsA blue-shirted team member comes under some friendly fire.The battle rages.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsA student takes two-handed aim.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsSophomore Tatiana Sarkhosh puts out water blasters in preparation for Tuesday’s contest.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsA participant provides cover for a group of other students.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsThe blue-shirted team battles the gold-shirted team.
Jocelyn Lee / UC Irvine CommunicationsA costumed participant gets in on the action.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsParticipants squirt a ”shoot here” sign in the middle of the battle
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsOut of ammunition, a bedraggled but unbowed student is carried out of battle.
Steve Zylius / University CommunicationsNew UC Irvine basketball player Mamadou Ndiaye exploits his height advantage with two water blasters.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsThere were a record number of attendees–5,734–at the 25th Late Night at the ARC, a Welcome Week event that lets students explore the Anteater Recreation Center. Popular activities include sushi rolling, rock wall climbing, dodgeball and fitness challenges.
Courtesy UC Irvine Campus RecreationThe crowd cheers at the announcement that UC Irvine had secured a new Guinness world record.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsAn exultant Dominique Doan, vice president of student services for Associated Students of UCI, holds up the certificate from Guinness certifying the world record.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsA student finds no escape.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsSome students doubled up on water blasters.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsThe green team tries mightily during the tug-of-war portion of the competition at the Middle Earth first-year student housing complex.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsAt Wednesday’s Middle Earth Battle of the Fellowships, new UC Irvine students pile up in a contest to stuff the most under a tarp.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsThe yellow team’s Kevin Shah, a freshman in economics, gives the tug-of-war all hes got.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsFreshman Ariel Alacar and other blue team members are ”wrapped up” in a relay race during Wednesday’s Middle Earth Battle of the Fellowships.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine CommunicationsThe crowd moves to the music at the ”Aldrich Park After Dark” concert Wednesday night. The free Welcome Week event featured JR Aquino, Bag Raiders, MCIA and Kaba Modern.
Jocelyn Lee / UC Irvine Communications
