Judge says sand contest best in years

Last week the Banner published lots of pictures from the Whiting Bay sand sculpture competition for 2023. Here judge Tim Pomeroy gives his assessment of this year's contest.

 

It has to be said from the off that this year’s standard of entries was by far the best of recent years making judging the best sculptures all the more difficult.

 

There were several potentially winning sculptures; this is a measure of the increased ambition of the entrants many of whom are regulars. The increased ambition was matched by the tools and in some cases the increased numbers of team members. All excellent for the competition and for the scale and standards of the sculptures. But there always has to be a chosen winner despite the fact that any of six entries could have easily won.

 

The children’s category had three remarkable sculptures: Third prize-winner, no 26 the Basking Sharks, were beautifully drawn and subtly decorated. Second prize-winner, no 10 ,the Snake and Eggs was small but very sensitively modelled. Size is not everything. And the children’s clear winner was no 24 the octopus guarding the treasure chest. The boys showed quiet and great team cooperation from the off. The drawing in the sculpture was excellent and the composition of it on the beach was balanced and pleasing. Very worthy winners.

 

In the family category the number of highly commended sculptures only indicates what a close race it was. No 16 the Snake and the Ice Cream was an interestingly unusual combination. Well-modelled and decorated.

 

No 19 the solar system, planets stars and moons was imaginative with excellent use of seaweed to indicate the rings of Jupiter and the speed lines of the shooting stars.

 

No 13 The Treasure Chest started off unpromisingly but suddenly revealed itself as the appropriate bijoux sculpture which caught this judge’s eye. The treasure of gathered beach glass was a fabulous detail.

 

The Snail and the Whale no 7 was inventive in using the sand surface as the sea surface; part of the whale disappeared under the sea and reemerged as a tail ; the whale details were finely modelled and textures were noticeably effective. It also got points for its literary inspiration from the Julia Donaldson book of the same name. This won the people'e choice award.

 

Third, no 25,was a tour de force of the Hogwarts Express. Excellent control of the symmetry of a train, exciting use of found black stone to replicate coal. An overall well sculpted team-effort.

 

Second, no 8, the Viking Ship had a similar scale of ambition to the original Viking invaders. It was a huge undertaking but despite its size, it still managed very subtle and imaginative detailing. The sail in particular was stimulating in its textural variety. It was beautifully composed on its stretch of beach and the sea, the flag, the figurehead all added significantly to its high placing.

 

The winner for this judge was no 22 the Giant Turtle. It seemed like a battle of the turtles today, I think there were four, perhaps even five.

 

Team 22 managed a monumental turtle, beautifully modelled so much so that it exuded an air of serenity which this judge felt. It was sensitively decorated and the team work was friendly and committed. The feeling coming from the camp was one of confidence and fun. The winning turtle occupied its patch of beach as if it had always been there and always should be there.

 

Other sculptures worth mention: The mysterious fort, I’m sure a castle, but for

 

this judge it said something of the Foreign Legion. It was mysterious because of

 

its hard architecture and sharp shadows.

 

The large chicken on a nest with eggs was another contender, perhaps let down slightly by an unreconciled beak.

 

Spongebob and the Dolphin was suitably unusual enough and well modelled enough to warrant reinspections. The beach giraffe was lovely but could have been taken much further.

 

The large old-fashioned telephone rang this judge’s bell but the line was occupied.

 

And the late children’s entry of a dragon and small castle again could have been developed a little more.

 

After the event this judge can only marvel at how much bigger and better this pop-up competition can become and congratulates everyone, organiser and participants alike, who made the day creative, interesting and fun.