This Year’s Competitors

Master sculptors from around the world apply to compete in our annual competition.

Parksville is known within the sculpting circuit for its fine hospitality and beautiful location. The Parksville Beach Festival Society works very hard to ensure the sculptors are well taken care of.  Their travel, meals and accommodation are paid for. They also receive an appearance fee as well as the opportunity to win prize money.

Attracting sculptors to apply for our competition is done by sending out an open invitation to past competitors as well as to any new/unknown sculptors who have expressed interest.  The top 3 singles and doubles from the previous year receive automatic entry in to the next year’s competition.

Doubles:
Brian Wigelsworth & Dan Belcher (United States)
Brian’s journey into sand sculpting began on beaches from California to Hawaii to Florida. After being approached to create sculptures for Miller Lite inside grocery stores, he was sold—especially after hearing the pay.
Dan has been sculpting professionally since 1990, learning from pioneers of the art. He’s won 14 world championships across Team, Doubles, and Solo categories, and worked on countless projects worldwide, including in Japan, China, Denmark, and more. Dan enjoys the perfect balance of physicality and creativity in his craft.
Edith van de Wetering & Wilfred Stijger (Netherlands)
Edith once hated sand between her toes, but now she can’t imagine life without it! What began as a hobby at the Scheveningen sand sculpture festival quickly grew into a global career. For over 15 years, she’s crafted sculptures in sand, snow, and ice across the world.
Wilfred was inspired to sculpt after reading a book by Pieter Wiersma. Starting on the beaches of Katwijk, he gained confidence and soon began traveling the world, creating stunning sand, snow, and ice sculptures at festivals.
Sèveline Beauregard (Canada) & Joris Kivits (Netherlands)
For Sèveline, art is a limitless way to express herself and discover new facets of her creativity. As a child, she explored everything from dancing to drawing to carving. Seven years ago, she joined her father and sister on a project, and since then, she’s been carving sand, snow, and ice around the globe.
Before turning to sculpture, Joris worked as a freelancer in graphic design, art direction, photography, and illustration. In 2006, he joined his first project in Lommel (Belgium). To him, sand sculpting is like theatre—a fleeting art that leaves behind only memories and photos.
Sue McGrew(USA) & Dmitry Klimenko (Russia)
Dmitry and Sue began competing together in 2019 after years of carving side by side at sand sculpting festivals worldwide. Their friendship sparked at the Tottori Sand Museum in Japan, and has since flourished through years of creative collaborations and Parksville dance parties. Known for their wild creativity and playful spirits, these two are eager to combine their talents and dive into the gritty, glorious world of sand sculpting.
Susanne Ruseler & Hanneke Supply (Netherlands)
Susanne has been sculpting with sand since 2003, following her passion for sculpture and experimenting with materials like ice, snow, and concrete. After completing a degree in Biology, she committed herself fully to her craft, taking part in projects and events around the globe.
Hanneke, a graduate in interior design from Gent, began sculpting in 2002, exploring various materials and expanding her artistic range. A passionate modeler, she’s showcased her work internationally. Recently, Hanneke has also ventured into the world of graphics, becoming a versatile illustrator.
Fred Dobbs (Canada) & Jakub Zimacek (Czech Republic)
From the early days on beaches in Ireland to the golden sands in Australia, and a myriad of places in Europe, the Caribbean, Middle East, and of course North America, Fred has never been far from sand. Living now in the Southern Gulf Islands with his partner Lisa and their dog Sage, the journey continues. Sand sculpting has been both an occupation and a source of fun and artistic expression, working alongside like minded souls. Recent accomplishments include winning the Parksville Doubles competition in 2023 with his dearly departed friend Ted Siebert, and appearing on Season 2 of Race Against the Tide. Jakub started sculpting sand at the beaches of south Spain in 2003. After practicing skills at the beach, he attended the international sand sculpture festival in Portugal and since then has been traveling the world participating in international sand events and competitions
Guy-Olivier Deveau & Isabelle Gasse (Canada)
Guy-Olivier, a professional sand and ice sculptor from Québec, Canada, began sculpting as a summer job to finance his philosophy studies. After working with seasoned sculptors, he honed his skills and placed 4th at the Sand Sculpture World Championship in 2008, marking the start of his global art career.
Isabelle’s artistic journey began at 16, when a teacher encouraged her to compete in a snow sculpting event in Québec. Now a rising star in icy art, she’s earned numerous awards at events like the Ice Hotel of Québec. Since 2021, she’s also embraced sand sculpting, blending her surrealistic style with the warmth of the beach.
Delayne Corbett (Canada) & Morgan Rudluff (USA)
Morgan and Delayne met 13 years ago at a sand sculpting competition and have been friends ever since. Morgan hails from Berkeley, California, while Delayne is from British Columbia. The highlight of their journey was partnering on season 4 of CBC’s Race Against The Tide. Together, they bring a creative, fun, and playful approach to life and sculpting. They share a love for bright colors, dancing, and dogs. This is their first non-televised competition as a team, and they’re thrilled for their reunion!
Soloists:
Beaubyssan Sodjine (Bob) Atisso - Canada
Self-taught and freelance artist, Bob is a sand sculptor who turned his passion into a profession. His work has taken him worldwide to festivals and competitions, earning multiple awards at major international events.
Manuel Campos - Colombia
Manuel is a passionate sculptor driven by a deep connection to his inner self. Over 15 years, his vibrant, expressive works have taken him to 14 countries, proudly representing the spirit and colors of Colombia.
Karen Fralich - Canada
A self-taught artist, Karen has been sculpting sand for 29 years. Since going full-time in 2001, she has competed in over 150 international events, winning 29 First Place titles and 5 World Championships. Known for her whimsical, fantasy-inspired creations, Karen’s passion and talent have taken her across the globe—from Canada to Australia—collaborating with festivals, companies, and fellow artists.
Marie-Line Gagné - Canada
Marie-Line is a multidisciplinary sculptor working with sand, snow, wood, and ice. Known for surreal, whimsical creations, her work blurs the line between fantasy and reality. With each piece, she invites viewers into playful alternate worlds where meaning emerges from the unexpected.
Jo Hollick - Canada
Jo has been building sand sculptures for over 20 years and still loves the creative challenges that come with making something out of 10 yards of sand. Its also incredibly satisfying building something on the tide flats and watching as the tide bring it to life and then wash it away.
Viacheslav Iemelianenko - Ukraine
Born in Crimea in 1971, Viacheslav is a classically trained sculptor and Kharkiv Academy graduate. With roots in fine art and years spent mastering sculpture, his work now spans sand and ice, featured in festivals from Turkey to Colombia. His creations appear in galleries and private collections worldwide, earning him international acclaim.
David Kaube - Canada
David studied visual arts and animation at Vancouver Island University, dabbled in professional photography, and has two screenplays registered with the Writers Guild of America. Though he’s never taken a sculpting class, he’s been paid to teach one—proof that creativity often carves its own path.
Thomas Koet - United States
With 25 years of experience, Thomas creates large-scale sand sculptures that push artistic boundaries. Originally from the Netherlands, he holds a master’s in industrial design engineering and has led major events across Europe, North America, and beyond. A former World Champion and TV-recognized “Best Sand Sculptor of the Netherlands,” Thomas is known for his precision, ambition, and global reach.
Damon Langlois - Canada
Damon Langlois began sculpting sand in 1992 at the World Championships in Harrison Hot Springs, learning from the best in the field. He embraces a balance of planning and discovery, finding inspiration in the raw potential of compacted sand. For Damon, the magic begins in the “pound-up”—where creative energy takes shape.
Craig Mutch - Canada
A versatile artist with over 25 years of experience, Craig works across sand, snow, ice, pumpkins, wood, and body painting. Formerly a graphic designer in Edmonton, he spent years at sea as a cruise ship photographer before shifting to global commissions and event art. Now based in Vancouver, Craig sculpts for major films like Planet of the Apes and The Solutrean.

Todd Pangborn - United States
A mechanical engineer for over 40 years, Todd turned a lifelong need to create into a second career in sand and wood sculpture. Self-taught and driven by passion, he began sculpting sand 17 years ago and became a master sculptor in 2014. Todd now balances engineering with art, crafting large wood carvings and imaginative sand pieces—fueled by the joy of creation and the support of his family.
Ludo Roders – Netherlands
Ludo is a Dutch artist and graduate of the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam, where she studied painting, drawing, and printmaking. Ludo later discovered sculpting in sand, ice, and snow, honing her craft at festivals and competitions worldwide. Ludo won the Dutch TV show Ice Masters in 2021 and competed on Race Against the Tide in 2022. Her sculptures blend dream and reality, evoking a magical, poetic atmosphere also found in her studio paintings.


Abe Waterman - Canada
Abe has been creating art since childhood—back when crayons and diapers were his first tools. Known for his wit and imagination, he now works primarily with ephemeral materials like sand and snow. Abe’s playful creativity and sharp artistic voice have made him a standout in the world of temporary sculpture.

Bruce Waugh - Canada
Bruce’s love for sand sculpting began on family beach vacations, while his parents relaxed and he shaped castles in the sun. Inspired by the 1987 White Rock Competition—thanks to hours spent watching cable TV footage at the local library—he eventually tried it himself. His very first sculpture made the front page of the Peace Arch News, launching a lifelong passion for sand art.
Head Judge:
Peter Vogelaar - Canada
Over 50 years ago, Peter played on the sands of Parksville, unaware it would later become the stage for his greatest successes. Now a six-time winner at one of the world’s top sand sculpting contests, Peter continues to create with passion and purpose. Parksville remains a magical place for him—full of memories, community, and inspiration.

Canadian Tire Learn to Sculpt Like A Pro Sculptors:
Michael Hurst - Canada
Always eager to grow as a sculptor, Michael joined Freddie and the Sandblasters in 1986, finding early success in Parksville and Harrison. In 1993, he formed The Sandboxers with a group of enthusiastic friends, quickly rising from intermediate competitors to world champions. Michael has since won the World Championships and Canadian Open multiple times, solidifying his legacy in the sand sculpting world.
Phil Olson - Canada
Based in Victoria, Phil began his sand sculpting career with the award-winning team The Sand Boxers, earning several Canadian titles. He later worked internationally with renowned sculptor Ted Siebert on major sand projects around the world. Today, Phil continues to support local sand art initiatives and events in the Victoria area.
Sponsorship

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Sculptors

Master sculptors from all around the world apply to participate in Parksville’s annual competition each year.

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20 Jul 2025
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