Ottawa kicked off its 35th annual Winterlude festival with a One-Block Challenge ice sculpting competition Friday, February 1. A precise 2-hour time limit as shown by a large digital clock called for advance thought and fast work. This year’s theme was “Imaginary Garden”.
A warm spell put a brief anti-chill on events as the world’s longest skating rink, the Rideau Canal, was closed until 2 pm Friday afternoon. Luckily, sub zero temperatures of -16 C / 3.2 F the night before ensured a cracking cold start as of Friday.
Ideas were chiselled into shape at the ice sculpting in Crystal Garden, Confederation Park, and will remain on display until the end of Winterlude (Feb. 1 – 18). This contest was a forerunner to a larger team competition. Entrants came from several countries, and there was a Korean TV crew on the scene too.
I was sprawled on my back photographing a large musk ox sculpture (not part of the competition) in the park when the Korean crew caught sight of me. The camerawoman began filming as the on-camera guy laid down beside me with his camera to shoot the sculpture in tandem.
The icy oxen are a striking tribute to the wildlife of the Canadian North by a talented team of carvers: Suguru Kanbayashi, Ikuo Kanbayashi (Suguru’s father), Kenny Hayden, Manoj. Khorugdharry, Mowafak Nema and Josef Haag.
As for the TV video clip, I haven’t checked as to whether it’s been aired in South Korea.
And the One-Block Challenge winners were…
#1 Ross Baisas (Spider sculpture) Philippines
#2 Koji Kareki (Courtship Dance) Japan
#3 Alexey Andreev (Maple Polar Bear) Russia
PHOTOS
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Story and photos copyright © Gary Crallé 2013. No commercial reproduction without written consent.
Ottawa Winterlude http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/celebrate/winterlude