Multi-Block Classic Complete; Awards Ceremony tonight!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2009

The 2009 BP World Ice Art Championships is an international ice sculpture competition held annually in Fairbanks, Alaska and sponsored by Ice Alaska, a non-profit corporation formed in 1990. This is an annual event has been held in Fairbanks, AK each March since 1988, when the tradition of ice sculpture, a feature of the Fairbanks Winter Carnival celebrations held during the 1930’s, was revived. Since 1988, there has been participation by sculptors from more than forty countries, including France, Russia, China, Sweden, Morocco, Malaysia, England, Australia, Japan, Mexico, and Finland. This year, we have over 180 sculptors that will be participating in one of four events. The Single-Block Competition had 46 registered teams and the Multi-Block Classic had 24 teams representing many states within the US as well as a variety of countries.

The Multi-Block Classics began on March 1st at 9AM and concluded on March 6 at 9PM. Twenty-four four-person teams worked frantically for 6 days and 5 nights in blinding snow and heavy winds. Temperatures varied from twenty above (not including the wind chill) to just below zero. Artists completed their sculptures with ten blocks of ice - each measuring 6’x 4’x3’ and weighing approximately 5,400lbs apiece. AT&T generously donated a high-speed internet connection that allows the public to view the sculptors’ progress and completion at any hour from the comfort of their home computer, available at www.icealaska.com.

Sculptures will be judged in two categories: Realistic and Abstract. The Carhartt Awards Ceremony will be held on March 7 at 8PM on the BP Stage. During the ceremony, first through third place will be awarded in both categories. The Ivalie Cox Award, the artists’ top pick of all the Multi-Block entries, will be announced, and The Governor’s Award, chosen by Ice Alaska’s more than 500 volunteers, will also be announced.

For more information regarding this press release, please contact Ice Alaska Public Relations at publicrelations@icealaska.com.