24th annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest

Grain of doubt: Sand sculpture winners pull through after last-minute collapse

By Max Jaegar - Source: http://www.brooklynpaper.com

Wild ride: Sculptors memorialized the Luna Park’s newest rollercoaster — the Thunderbolt.
Photo by Steve Solomonson

Two winners of the 24th annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest didn’t crumble after their creation caved one hour before the judging.

“I’ve got to tell you, I was surprised when they said we got the gold,” said Joe Sloboda, who won first place in the team division along with cousin Frank Russo for their creation “Castle to the Sky.”

The pair tried to build a 10-foot-tall, high-rise sand castle in a Tower-of-Babel-esque affront to natural law, but the powers that be crashed their party when the top two feet of the tower abruptly tumbled to the earth.

Replacing the spoiled spire would have risked the entire structure, but the builders didn’t bury their heads in the sand — instead they dressed up the minaret’s remains, Sloboda said.

A refreshing take: Matt Long sculpts a tribute to Arizona Iced Tea out of sand at the annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest on the Coney beach on Aug. 16.
Photo by Steve Solomonson

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