Children and adults alike traded flour and water bombs while racing eight home-made rafts across the mouth of the Waikouaiti River, north of Dunedin, from about 5.30pm on Wednesday.
A larger collection of 21 kayaks and four dinghies joined the race minutes later, in a staggered start, and easily overhauled the rafts' lead despite several crew members resorting to pushing in the waist-deep water.
The end of the race brought no respite for the under-fire crews, as the entire flotilla engaged in a flour and water-bomb melee that continued for several minutes after the last boat crossed the finish line.
Among the racers was Organiser Alan Anderson, who said the race was a regular feature in the holiday township years ago, but had died out before being resurrected in 2005.
The race has been held annually since, with a prize for the most dramatic sinking each year and awards for other teams drawn from a hat.
