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‘Sandologist’ back for sand-sculpting tourney
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Posted on Oct 26 2005
Eight-year “sandology” veteran Steve Machell is once again in the CNMI to help local “sandologists” for the 3rd Annual Build-A-Castle competition.
Machell, a native of Baron Bay, Australia, has been invited by event organizer Light in the Eve Foundation for the competition, to be held this Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan beach side.
The Australian master sand sculptor said he fell in love with Saipan and he finds the sand along CNMI shores excellent for sand sculpture.
“Saipan has good sand grains because it’s not too coarse. It just works,” he said. “It’s great to be back.”
Machell said his passion for sand sculpture began in Spain, starting with trial-and-error until he perfected the craft.
In the run-up to the Build-A-Castle competition this weekend, Machell will hold a sand sculpture workshop today from 8am to 2pm at the Hyatt Regency Saipan.
He said he would be teaching participants the rudiments of sand sculpture. His great advice to students would be not to get attached so much to their sand castle or sculpture. “You can’t take it home,” he said.
The Light in the Eve Foundation is holding the event for the third time and this year’s proceeds will be used next year for the first-ever CNMI Reef Cleanup Day.
Chair Laila Y. Boyer said there would be 15 teams vying in the Build-A-Castle competition. There will be four members to each team, which should be composed of junior high school and high school students.
Boyer said two teams will be coming from Rota and one from Tinian. She said returning champions Chacha Oceanview Junior High School, for the Junior Division, and Saipan Southern High School, for the High School Division, would defend their titles this weekend.
“They have been practicing on the beaches,” said Boyer.
This year, the Build-A-Castle competition will also include the Special Education students from Hopwood Junior High School for a non-competitive category.
“They will join just to have fun in the sand,” she said.
The 3rd Annual Build-A-Castle competition is open to the public.
