22nd International Snow Sculpting Championships

The Championships are held in and around the Riverwalk Center, located in the heart of Breckenridge
on South Park Avenue between Washington Street and Adams Avenue.

TEAM CANADA / QUÉBEC

“Great Expectations”

1st Place

People's Choice

Artist's Choice

In the 1930’s, “ice houses” were essential for the preservation of meat, poultry and fish. On the Saint Anne River in central Quebec, Canada, ice was sawn from the frozen river to furnish the many ice houses in the region. It was during this ice harvest that millions of
small fish, know as Tommycod, were discovered swimming upstream to spawn in the waters under the ice. Soon after this discovery, hundreds of people began making their way each winter to the mouth of the Saint Anne River, by train, or by horse and sleigh, just for the ice fishing. Today, in mid December, the inhabitants of the region install row after row of small heated fishing huts on the river ice, where thousands of visitors can enjoy the pleasures of Winter-time fishing.

TEAM GERMANY

“Dancing Screens”

2nd Place

 

Th is snow sculpture symbolizes the various views, positions and
perspectives on how facts can be represented and perceived.
Emphasis is put on the reality that, depending on point of view or
opinion, one can arrive at different conclusions. Ultimately, today’s mostly media driven world with a fl urry of
projections, needs to be experienced with a critical point of view.

TEAM BALTIC
(LATVIA-ESTONIA)

“Discover the Edge of the World”

3rd Place

 

This sculpture tells a story of courage and curiosity. This epic tail recounts the
story of the kings, who went and returned from the edge of the world, showing people that anything is possible, and only our minds limit our actions.

  

TEAM USA / ALASKA

“Teh Deadliest Catch: Calmari's Revenge, the Kraken”

Kid's Choice

Wrapped in the tentacles of a legendarily Kraken, a raider of the deep
seeking plunder is transformed from predator to prey. Kraken: A sea monster of colossal proportions. Feeds on whales, ships, and men. Kraken attracted sea life; fishermen returning with an enormous catch were said to have ‘fished over Kraken’. This work juxtaposes man’s insatiable drive to overharvest nature’s bounty with the presupposition that nature will respond with cataclysm. What we really mean to say is, SOS, save our seas!

   

TEAM AUSTRALIA - USA

“Temple of the Seasons”

A melting snowman, desperate for just a bit more winter, has journeyed to
the ancient Temple of the Seasons to plead for colder temperatures. This
lighthearted piece expresses the serious concerns we all share about climate change - and reminds us that we can do something about climate change now, before we find ourselves in the snowman’s sad state.

TEAM CANADA / ONTARIO

“Ode to NASA”

(Mother of a nation)

 

Th e space shuttle Atlantis blasts off for the last time. Over the years NASA has provided mankind with breathtaking discoveries, huge jumps in technology, and sometimes incredible tragedy. This piece expresses our gratitude to their dedication to discovery and science. The December launch to the International Space Station only clears the way for new advances and discoveries. Thanks NASA, we will never forget.

TEAM CANADA / YUKON

“Throat Singers”

During the construction of a large inukshuk, family members stop to celebrate with drum dancing and a throat singing lesson. The inukshuk may have been used for navigation, as a point of reference, a marker for travel routes, fishing places, camps, hunting grounds, places of veneration, as drift fences used in hunting or as a food cache. The Inuit in northern Alaska used inukshuk to assist in the herding of caribou into contained areas for slaughter. Inuit throat singing or katajjaq, is a form of musical performance uniquely found among the Inuit. Throat singing is a type of traditional competitive song, considered a game, usually held between two women. When competing,
two women stand face-to-face and sing using a complex method of following each other, thus that one voice hits
a strong accent while the other hits a weak, melding the two voices into a nearly indistinguishable single sound.
They repeat brief motifs at staggered intervals, often imitating natural sounds, like those of geese, caribou or other wildlife, until one runs out of breath, trips over her own tongue, or begins laughing, and the contest is then over. Th e old woman who teaches the children corrects sloppy intonation of contours, poorly meshed phrase
displacements, and vague rhythms exactly like a Western vocal coach.

Correfoc or “fi re-runs” are among the most striking features present in
Catalan festivals. In the correfoc, a group of individuals will dress as devils
and light fireworks. While dancing to the drums of a traditional gralla, they will set off their fireworks among crowds of spectators. Th e correfoc can come in many forms. Some are simple parades using fireworks and effigies of the devil or dragons.

This is sculpture of ancient
Mongolian-style wrestling.

It is giant and it looks nice. If you touch it in sunlight, it is poisonous. It spreads everywhere if you are not paying attention...

TEAM GREECE - USA / IDAHO

“First Catch”

During the first fishing lesson, a young Grizzly Bear shows his aptitude while visiting Greek waters.

Our concept for Breckenridge in 2012 is “Ai” and is based on Japanese lore. According to Japanese legend, if a koi fish succeeds in climbing the falls at a point called Dragon Gate, it would be transformed into a dragon. The two koi up the falls represent ”Ai” or love for all things. Their climb together symbolizes aspiration, strength and determination.