So is it really possible to walk on water?
This series of you tube clips is pretty amazing, and quite funny at that!

Here we have a series of like-able chaps perfecting their techniques for walking on water, but in this case it is more a running at high velocity on water. They have developed a technique that uses a mix of physics, natural ability and faith to pull off what was once considered a Divine skill.
Very clever. The meeting of high performance athletes and technology.

These guys call it liquid mountaineering. The training is impeccable. The results are questionable.

Of course, there is more to this story.

This was posted on youtube in April this year, by a user account that had been posting test runs and trials since February. Most of the clips on the user account are all Liquid Mountaineering related, except for one of a couple of mean looking dogs. What this does is create the feeling that this is a legit account.

Here are some more Liquid Mountaineering clips. These were released a month or so before the main one to seed the idea onto the net, and I guess to also create some legitimacy within the youtube user account. It gives the feeling that this is a sport under development:

This off course performed exactly as planned and went viral. The main liquid mountaineering clip has had 7.6 million views, and spawned a whole range of copycat videos as weirdo's attempted their own liquid mountaineering experiments.
By May even clubs had begun forming. Here is the Seattle branch and their documented attempts at the sport.

And a random - you have to love the randoms.

Now lets get to the heart of the matter.
They give a website in the youtube description. And the making of,which blows the story. You need to see for yourself.

Here is a statement from the company:

HI-TEC LIQUID MOUNTAINEERING
Global Sport and Outdoor brand Hi-Tec behind ‘Liquid Mountaineering” viral.
After two weeks of worldwide buzz, Hi-Tec, the Global Outdoor and Sports brand has
revealed they were the team behind the ‘Liquid Mountaineering’ viral which has taken
the Web by storm.
The viral has now reached the top 100 favourite all time viewed global sports clips on
YouTube with viewing figures reaching well over 4 million!
The documentary-type film features three guys who run across a lake thanks to the
water repellent qualities of their Hi-Tec shoes.

Simon Bonham, Hi-Tec Group Head of Marketing comments, “We wanted to create a
piece of entertainment around our hydrophobic footwear and get people talking and
thinking about the brand differently.” He added, “The idea was to take a traditional form
of marketing and totally turn it around on its head, in the process capturing the fun
spirited side of our brand. The reaction to the viral has surpassed all expectations; with
people all over the world debating whether this could indeed be possible or not and even
trying to do their own Liquid Mountaineering. We’ve even seen a number of entertaining
attempts appear on YouTube and other places on the Web”

To create the viral Hi-Tec worked with CCCP, an independent ad agency in Amsterdam
known for their award winning work for Dutch retailer HEMA. Liquid Mountaineering has
become one of the most viewed and discussed phenomenon’s on YouTube in the past
month. It has now featured on thousands of blogs. TV coverage of the film has included
Japan, Brazil, Germany, the US, Australia, Korea, Spain, France and Georgia.
Simon Bonham continues, “After the initial buzz and well over 4 million views on YouTube
to date, we thought it was finally time to come clean and unveil to the world that Hi-Tec
were behind the viral. Whilst our shoes have some amazing liquid repellency features,
even we still can’t walk on water… it was all a well intended hoax”.

Cool eh. The whole thing has been a carefully planned and orchestrated guerrilla marketing campaign. The total cost of the whole thing would have been no more than a tradition media campaign but the coverage and reach has been significantly more. This viral method of advertising really is the future, and so very effective.

And of course, if you need to get to the bottom of something, go no further than the Mythbusters - they always deserve the last word on a controversial subject: