Clowns, lions and seals in the middle of the ski piste: In Ischgl, winter sports fans can admire larger-than-life circus figures made of snow at over 2,300 metres above sea level. From 11 to 15 January 2016, nine pairs of international artists created a giant circus ring in the middle of the ski resort as part of the 23rd "Shapes in White" snow sculpture competition. Works of art up to five metres high were created from 500 tonnes of snow. After the snow figures were built in just five days, the jury selected the South Tyrolean team Simon Rauter and Peter Walboth as the winner with their sculpture "Lion" on 15 January 2016.
The winners of the snow sculpture competition
It wasn't just the winter sports enthusiasts who were impressed by the unique circus world at the "Shapes in White" snow sculpture competition, the Ischgl judges were also impressed by the creative diversity of the snow sculptures. The decision was correspondingly difficult: In the end, Simon Rauter and Peter Waldboth from South Tyrol won with the "Lion". Second place went to the sculpture "Virtuoso Seals or who the fuck is Messi" by the German team Ralf Rosa and Peter Fechtig. Ivo Piazza and Reiner Kasslatter, also from South Tyrol, secured third place with "Seiltanz Akrobatin".
