54th annual tub boat race held in Japan

More than 200 people climbed into wooden laundry tubs and tried to paddle their way down a quarter of a mile downstream in the 54th annual Tub Boat Race in Ito City, Japan.The so-called boaters say half the fun depends on out-paddling fellow racers and the other half requires keeping the tub afloat without tipping or sinking.An American participant said falling into the water is all part of the fun.Some people fell in, but that's what happens sometimes. You do your best and it's all about participation. It was a lot of fun this year, said American boater Jason Block.The event was set up in 1955 by city officials to pay homage to the river and the women who washed their laundry in small tubs along its banks in the 1930s and 1940s.Today it attracts tourists from several countries, with an Italian team coming in second place after the Japanese winners.