The Gabber Pinellas County's oldest independent weekly newspaper
Prince Edward Island, Canada’s competitor Abe Waterman placed first with “Out of Tune.”
Ten competitors from seven different countries and thousands of visitors helped make Sanding Ovations the largest sand sculpture masters competition in the southeastern United States.
Abe Waterman from Prince Edward Island, Canada chiseled his way into first place with his sand sculpture titled “Out of Tune.” Waterman snatched the title from four-time winner Jonathan (Jobi) Bouchard. Bouchard, from Quebec, Canada placed second with “Time to Change our Habitat.”
Hailing all the way from Ireland, Fergus Mulvaney rounded out the top three with his sculpture, “Where the West Wind Blows, the Lone Knight Follows.” Mulvaney’s sculpture was one of the tallest this year, easily reaching 8-feet tall.
In a two-hour period over 3,000 people pitched their votes for the People’s Choice award. Manuel Campos from Colombia won the hearts of the crowd with his piece “All You Need is Love,” depicting two expressive chimpanzees tightly holding onto each other.
The most coveted award, Sculptor’s Choice, went to “Fear,” by Jan Selen from the Netherlands. Selen’s emotional sculpture was minimalist in style and masterfully impacted the emotions of those who contemplated his creation.
Next year’s 12th Annual Sanding Ovations Masters Cup will take place 18 to 22 November, 2020.
“Where the West Wind Blows, the Lone Knight Follows,” created by Fergus Mulvaney, from Ireland placed third in this year’s competition.
Treasure Island Commissioner Tyler Paine, Vice Mayor Deb Toth and Mayor Lawrence Lunn enthusiastically cheer for the Sanding Ovation competitors and hype the crowd before the winners are announced.
Jan Selen from the Netherlands, humbly accepted the coveted Sculptor’s Choice award for his sculpture titled “Fear.” The minimalist design provoked a multitude of emotions from spectators.
I don’t know what others saw in the Sculptor’s Choice award, but I immediately thought of the kids America has separated from their families. The children are alone with no family members and only a silver survival blanket to cover them; I am sure they are fearful. We may not be subjecting the children to gas chambers, but since this event started, SIX have died while in American custody. The incarceration of these children is a terrible stain on America and what our country USED to stand for kindness, thoughtfulness, truthfulness, stability, and a refuge for those attempting to escape horrific events in their homeland.