2023 Results

2023 International Sandsculpting Championship

With a world-class venue, 32 of the world’s most talented sculptors, and an exciting prize purse, Neptune’s International Sandsculpting Championship has distinguished itself as a premier event unlike any other. View the Results from 2023’s Sandsculpting Championship below.

Blue Double Wave (Short)

Solo Artists

Blue Double Wave (Short)

1st Place - Solo

"Castle of Dreams"

Karlis Ile, Latvia

Small dreams grow and turn into big dreams. And big dreams create new small dreams. So it goes on endlessly and the castle of dreams grows bigger and stronger. Dreams are also the basis for new goals, motivation and hope.

2nd Place - Solo

“Tele-Empathy”

Morgan Rudluff, USA-California

As humans we are finely tuned instruments who can perceive all sorts of sensory information. At what point do we transition from being empathic to being telepathic? Are all of our thoughts, emotions, and energetic experiences entirely our own? Or, is it possible that these mind-body experiences are shared amongst others more than we know?

3rd Place - Solo

"Broken Bonds"

Pedro Mira, Portugal

In my sculpture, “Broken Bonds” I sought to capture the raw essence of heartbreak, a universal emotion that binds us all. This broken heart is carved in a realistic way to better express the pain and vulnerability that often accompany lost love. The fragmentation of the heart mirrors the fragility of the human spirit in those moments of profound sorrow. It is my hope that “Broken Bonds” speaks to the resilience of the human spirit, reminding us that even in our most shattered moments, there is beauty in vulnerability and strength in healing.

4th Place - Solo

“Winter”

Karen Fralich, Canada

On a frosty winter night, she steps outside and breathes in the fresh, crisp air. Everything is white and sparkling! Mesmerized by there beauty, she catches the still swirling snowflakes on her mittens.

Neptune's Choice, People's Choice - Solo

“Neptune's Cry”

Peter Vogelaar, Canada

Neptune is not happy with the people of the watery planet. We have truly fouled up his precious ocean, and it’s time for us to start cleaning it!

Sculptors' Choice - Solo

“Fleeting Echoes: The Digital Heritage”

Maxim Gazendam, The Netherlands

“Fleeting Echoes: The Digital Heritage” is a sculpture that serves as a stark reminder for humanity to contemplate the digital traces we leave behind. Crafted with sand, it embodies the essence of our technology-infused lives. At the core of the sculpture stands a large, lifeless mask of a human, representing a departed individual. Delicate strands of sand extend from this center, symbolizing the intangible connections of our digital existence. The web symbolizes the fragility and resilience inherent in our digital legacy. “Fleeting Echoes: The Digital Heritage” encourages humanity to consider the impact of technology on our lives and urges reflection on the potential consequences of our digital legacy.

Blue Double Wave (Short)

Teams

Blue Double Wave (Short)

1st Place - Team

“Symphony of the Sea”

Donatus Mockus, Lithuania
Inese Valtere, Latvia

Between the North and the East, wind and waves, stones and storms, believe and seen, soul and mind, time and space ….. there is unmeasured space – symphony of the sea.

2nd Place - Team

"Present Dreams"

Benoit Dutherage, France
Sue McGrew, USA-Washington

Dreams are present, past, and future. The present can be dreamed and lived as a dream. Past lives are made of unforgettable memories, wounds, and hopes. The present is… hardwork to build the future and arrange the past. The future is… a fantasy, a dream with hopes and visions we want to achieve. Past, present, future are, and always have been : a project created “Together”… a beautiful collaboration of friends, family and the people and the universe around us.

3rd Place - Team

"Everybody has a Soft Spot"

Thomas Koet - USA-Florida
Martijn Rijerse - The Netherlands

You might control the waters and the winds, the storms that rage every season, you might be the protector and destroyer of many a ship, ruler of life underwater, feared and respected by every mortal soul; you still have a soft spot.

Neptune's Choice - Team

"Circle of Life"

Agnese Rudzite Kirilla, Latvia
Sanita Ravina, Latvia

Everything in nature is cyclical. The awakening of spring is replaced by the maturity of summer, followed by the decline of autumn and the calm of winter. Similarly in human life, where after childhood comes the glorious, intense time of life, followed by old age and decline of life. A woman is like mother nature, who gives both life and shelter. It protects us from everything negative in childhood, so that we can successfully build our life path. And in old age, it provides support and comfort so that a person can pass the end of life with dignity. ​​​​​​​The sculpture depicts all these emotionally saturated and interconnected stages of a woman’s life.

Sculptors' Choice - Team

Space 16 (1)

“Symphony of the Sea”

Donatus Mockus, Lithuania
Inese Valtere, Latvia

Between the North and the East, wind and waves, stones and storms, believe and seen, soul and mind, time and space ….. there is unmeasured space – symphony of the sea.

People's Choice - Team

Space 17 (5)

"Everybody has a Soft Spot"

Thomas Koet - USA-Florida
Martijn Rijerse - The Netherlands

You might control the waters and the winds, the storms that rage every season, you might be the protector and destroyer of many a ship, ruler of life underwater, feared and respected by every mortal soul; you still have a soft spot.