USA Wins Gold At International Snow Sculpture Championships In Breckenridge

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) - Three U.S. teams are taking awards home from the 26th annual International Snow Sculpture Championship in Breckenridge.

The competition took place during the last week of January, as 16 teams from all over the world sculpted 20-ton blocks of snow. They worked with only hand tools for 65 hours over five days to build an outdoor art gallery.

Team USA-Vermont won Gold in the competition with their design of "Rhonda and Her Recycling Robo-Octopus." The creation depicted a young science whiz riding inside her invention, the robo-octopus, which helps clean the ocean floor.

(credit: Carl Scofield / Breckenridge Tourism Office)

The judging panel said, "it appeals to the child in all of us while addressing a serious global issue."

The awards ceremony took place Sunday evening, where Team Switzerland won Silver, Team USA-Loveland won Bronze, and Team USA-Wisconsin won Artists' Choice.

Team Switzerland's "Converse" sculpture (credit: Carl Scofield / Breckenridge Tourism Office)

Team USA-Loveland's sculpture "Bolting from Extinction" (credit: Carl Scofield / Breckenridge Tourism Office)

Team USA-Wisconsin's "Dia de los Muertos" sculpture (credit: Carl Scofield / Breckenridge Tourism Office)

Other teams competing included Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Mexico, Great Britain, Mongolia, and Ukraine.

Team USA-Breckenridge's sculpture, with tribute to the town's mining origins (credit: Carl Scofield / Breckenridge Tourism Office)

Team Mongolia's Sculpture (credit: Carl Scofield / Breckenridge Tourism Office)

Team Canada's sculpture (credit: Carl Scofield / Breckenridge Tourism Office)

Beginning Feb. 1, fans can vote online for Social Media Fan Favorite.

Sculptures will remain on display at the Riverwalk Center through Feb. 7.