Snow Sculpture Artists Welcome Bitter Cold During Carving Sessions
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4)- Bone-chilling cold, the perfect conditions to turn giant blocks of snow into world-class art sculptures. Now the race is on for teams around the world to finish those sculptures.
"We will come up with an idea for a sculpture then will come up with the idea for a tool to make that sculpture," Keith Martin with Team Breckenridge told CBS4's Matt Kroschel.
Giant blocks of packed snow are slowly transforming into works of art for the 29th annual Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships.
"It is cold, but it's great for us. I wish the sun would go away to be honest," Team Wisconsin member Brett Tomczak said.
These championships bring together 16 teams from across the world for a 96-hour race to finish. The 12-foot tall, 20-ton blocks of snow are unforgiving.
That's something Team Wisconsin learned in the final minutes of last year's competition.
"It was a sunny, warm 63 degrees and at 9 o'clock Thursday night, 12 hours before judging, it completely collapsed total failure," Tomczak said.
But if the cold snap holds tight its grip on Breckenridge for the rest of the week, there shouldn't be a repeat this year.
"Looks like Mother Nature is going to be on our side this week," Tomczak added.
This year's teams are from China (Yan Zhang), China (Wang Haifeng), Ecuador, France, Germany (Agrawarl), Germany (Theil), Great Britain, India, Italy, JAPAN, Mexico, Mongolia (Tserendesh), Turkey, USA-Colorado, USA-Breckenridge Colorado, USA-Wisconsin.
The International Snow Sculpture Championships are through Jan. 25, with the Snow Sculpture Viewing Weekend (weather permitting) set for Jan. 25-30.