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First a wooden mold is
built. Next machine-made snow is gathered up and blown into the
top of the mold. "Snow stompers"
jump on the snow after each truckload until it is packed firmly before
the wooden mold is removed. Four giant blocks
are ready in minutes, looking clean and sparkling in the sun.
Fifteen blocks will be completed before the day is over. Each
block measures 10x10x12 and weighs 20 tons! Preparations
for the contest begin in the summer when hundreds of invitations are
sent to artists worldwide. After submitting sketches of their
proposed snow sculpture, a selection committee chooses 15 of the
best. It's a tough call, because they are all good. Over
the next five days, 15 teams will create stunningly diverse
creations. They have arrived from Germany, Russia, Switzerland,
Italy, Canada, and the USA. This is
the 11th annual Championships. It attracts thousands of spectators
from all over the world. Breckenridge - the friendly town - can
handle it. In the next few days, we'll be
watching the artists as they progress on their masterpieces.
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