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Thousands of people experienced the emerging sport of water skyball at Lake Balaton in Hungary over summer, thanks to two sets of Packaworld’s water skyball goals and fields that created an aquatic-sport playground for beachgoers.

The portable Water Skyball Packagoals and fields were used at the popular Alsoors Beach during the peak summer period of late June to early September.

Water Skyball Federation Vice President Olga Augusztin said the experience was an instant hit with curious people looking for a new way to cool off and enjoy some exercise.

“The field was there for everyone, so people came, played water skyball or just practised shooting at the goals. It was used all day because people were hungry to play something in the water.”

Bucharest hosted Romania’s inaugural water skyball tournament recently, with 80 competitors using Packaworld’s inflatable goals and fields to mark a significant milestone in the sport's European expansion.

The tournament, held on 15 and 16 February at the Steaua Olympics Swimming Pool, saw Romanian and other European teams taking to the water in separate adult and youth competitions.

Water Skyball Federation Vice President Olga Augusztin said Packaworld’s innovative inflatable goals were a key part of the tournament’s success.

“This was the first time we had brought the skyball goals and field on a plane – we just packed them into a few bags. It was a very simple and smooth process.”

Aspiring Water Skyball coaches and referees from across Europe recently took part in training camp in Hungary as the sport prepares to launch new leagues throughout the continent.

Originally developed in Hungary, the sport is gaining popularity and is on the cusp of international expansion with the help of new portable goals that allow organisers to take the game almost anywhere.

The coach and referee training session was held at the Fontanus Sports Centre near Szeged, a day before the WSB Amateur Cup at the Makó Hagymatikum Spa in nearby Makó.

“We’ve come a long way since the first Water Skyball match back in 2014,” says Water Skyball Federation President Zsolt Gyuris.

A new aquatic sport is making a splash in Europe, supported by first-of-their-kind portable goals and fields from Packaworld to make bringing the game to new venues easy.

Water Skyball is a Hungarian invention, played in waist-deep water between teams of two.

Teams score points by throwing a ball into a goal that is divided into three sections – each worth a different number of points.

Water Skyball Federation President Zsolt Gyuris said the sport was created by the Fontanus Scientific Methodological Research and Educational Centre in 2013 and was growing in popularity thanks to its unique mix of strategy, movement and throwing accuracy.