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Sand Sculpting Competition in Fort Myers Beach concludes

See larger South Padre Island, Texas sand sculptor 'Amazin' Walter McDonald, 67, competes in the Master Carve Competition during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff

Photo by DAVID ALBERS

South Padre Island, Texas sand sculptor "Amazin" Walter McDonald, 67, competes in the Master Carve Competition during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff

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  • Sarasota resident Libby Bennett carves away at her Where the Wild Things Are-themed sculpture under the watchful eye of the character Carol during the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. Bennett created the sculpture entitled 'Be Still!,' said Max for the Florida State Championship competition which wrapped up Sunday alongside the Master Carve Competition and the Amateur Competition. David Albers/Staff
  • Sarasota resident Lara Hines whittles away at her entry, Something Fishy, in the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. Hines created the sculpture for the Florida State Championship competition which wrapped up Sunday alongside the Master Carve Competition and the Amateur Competition. David Albers/Staff
  • Sarasota resident Lara Hines reacts to the news that a fellow competitor's castle had fallen while working on her entry, Something Fishy, in the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. Hines created the sculpture for the Florida State Championship competition which wrapped up Sunday alongside the Master Carve Competition and the Amateur Competition. David Albers/Staff
  • Sandsculptor Matt Long, of New York, works on his telephone-themed entry, Long Distence!, in the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Reigning solo World Champion sand sculptor Carl Jara, of Cleveland, Ohio, whittles away at his entry, entitled Unravelling, into the Master Carve Competition in the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Audience members take in the work of South Padre Island, Texas sand sculptor 'Amazin' Walter McDonald in the Master Carve Competition during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • South Padre Island, Texas sand sculptor 'Amazin' Walter McDonald, 67, competes in the Master Carve Competition during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Jeff Strong, of Tacoma, Wash., carves out the main character of his sand sculpture, entitled Space Child, in the Master Carve Competition during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Jeff Strong, of Tacoma, Wash., laughs while creating his sand sculpture in the Master Carve Competition during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Jeff Strong, of Tacoma, Wash., adds some moisture to his sand sculpture, entitled Space Child, in the Master Carve Competition during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Fort Myers residents Courtney Larkin, left, and Courtney Koenig, both 14, create their cake-themed entry 'Babi Cakes' in the Amateur Competition during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • A young attendee gets a great view of the sand sculptures from her father's shoulders during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Attendees take in Unravelling, the sculpture of the reigning solo World Champion sand sculptor Carl Jara, of Cleveland, Ohio, during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Sand sculptors, Fred Mallett, from left, Suzanne Altamare, Carl Jara and Matt Long, increase the height on a sand pile where for the next two days a group carving will take place. The large sculpture will feature the sponsors of the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship and Beach Festival in Fort Myers Beach. The event has 19 solo sculptors, 16 of whom are master sculptors, and runs through November 8. The Master Carve Competition will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the beach behind Gullwing, Holiday Inn & Pointe Estero. The first place winner secures a spot in the World Championship of Sand Sculpture in September 2010 in Federal Way, Wash. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Sue McGrew, 24, a master sculptor from Tacoma, Wash., lands in a large sand pile that will be the site of group carving for the next two days behind the Holiday Inn on Fort Myers Beach. The large sculpture will feature the sponsors of the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship and Beach Festival in Fort Myers Beach. The event has 19 solo sculptors, 16 of whom are master sculptors, and runs through November 8. The Master Carve Competition will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the beach behind Gullwing, Holiday Inn & Pointe Estero. The first place winner secures a spot in the World Championship of Sand Sculpture in September 2010 in Federal Way, Wash. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Fred Mallett, second from right, a master sand sculptor from Port Aransas, Tex., and site manager Suzanne Altamare, second from left, start to mold a sand pile where for the next two days a group carving will take place behind the Holiday Inn on Fort Myers Beach. The large sculpture will feature the sponsors of the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship and Beach Festival in Fort Myers Beach. The event has 19 solo sculptors, 16 of whom are master sculptors, and runs through November 8. The Master Carve Competition will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the beach behind Gullwing, Holiday Inn & Pointe Estero. The first place winner secures a spot in the World Championship of Sand Sculpture in September 2010 in Federal Way, Wash. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Cleveland, Ohio resident Carl Jara, a master sand sculptor and the current sand sculpting world champion, increases the height on a sand pile where for the next two days a group carving will take place. The large sculpture will feature the sponsors of the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship and Beach Festival in Fort Myers Beach. The event has 19 solo sculptors, 16 of whom are master sculptors, and runs through November 8. The Master Carve Competition will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the beach behind Gullwing, Holiday Inn & Pointe Estero. The first place winner secures a spot in the World Championship of Sand Sculpture in September 2010 in Federal Way, Wash. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Fred Mallett, foreground, a master sand sculptor from Port Aransas, Tex., starts to mold a sand pile where for the next two days a group carving will take place behind the Holiday Inn on Fort Myers Beach. The large sculpture will feature the sponsors of the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship and Beach Festival in Fort Myers Beach. The event has 19 solo sculptors, 16 of whom are master sculptors, and runs through November 8. The Master Carve Competition will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the beach behind Gullwing, Holiday Inn & Pointe Estero. The first place winner secures a spot in the World Championship of Sand Sculpture in September 2010 in Federal Way, Wash. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Site manager Suzanne Altamare holds up an illustration she created that shows what a large sand pile will end up looking like after a group sand carving event behind the Holiday Inn on Fort Myers Beach. The large sculpture will feature the sponsors of the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship and Beach Festival in Fort Myers Beach. The event has 19 solo sculptors, 16 of whom are master sculptors, and runs through November 8. The Master Carve Competition will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the beach behind Gullwing, Holiday Inn & Pointe Estero. The first place winner secures a spot in the World Championship of Sand Sculpture in September 2010 in Federal Way, Wash. Lexey Swall/Staff

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