Shawhan wins Chicago snow sculpting competition

A Bug's Life, in Chicago (Photo by Amanda Hobus)

Jeff Shawhan, Racine's premier snow sculptor -- see HERE and HERE -- continued his winning ways this weekend, taking first prize at Snow Days Chicago against 15 teams in Grant Park.

Among the competitors Shawhan and his team -- Jim Malkowski and Brett Tomczak -- beat were the last two U.S. Olympic snow-carving teams, and four national champions. Their first place prize consists of trophies and $1,500.

Shawhan said they started carving last Wednesday, and ended on Saturday. "The weather was a bit too warm to carve during the day, so we carved solely at night."

Their winning sculpture was the same design that won them the state championship in the Wisconsin Dells earlier this winter, "but the details were far more amazing."

Pictures of the other top entrants from Snow Days Chicago are here.