Competitions

 


It is always recommend to attend NICA Sanctioned Events over any other type of competitions.  The learning experience you receive from NICA events can not be duplicated.  Many of the best carvers in the world have come up through NICA’s carving circuit.  The judging guidelines and format force you to work hard, fast and be creative. Go to www.nica.org calender of events for more details.


The new Design and Sculpt Series is a great new format that appeals to the non-traditional competitor.  This makes it so that carvers can stay in the privacy of their own shop and compete with other carvers from around the world.  If you are unfamiliar with this new competition format than go to www.nica.org to view more details.


The Tour of Champions requires you to compete in a minimum of any three NICA sanctioned competitions to qualify.  You must also compete at the National Ice Carving Championships and be a current NICA member in good standing.  This is a fun way for competition carvers to make the season more exciting.  Plus their are some great prizes!  The winner also receives the title of Tour Champion and is the keeper of the cup! Go to www.nica.org for more details.


The Collegiate National Championships is a must for college students. Colleges teams of two full time students compete in this three-day marathon that requires a high level of skill to win. Teams that have won this event have scored close too or at the silver medal carving level (according to NICA standards).  This competition is one of the hardest to win, coaches and students must put forth countless hours of practice and preparation and focus to be competitive.

    Each carver on the team competes in the compulsory event, single block freestyle event, and the team event.  Generally the compulsory event is a single block format in which the carver is given a template with a picture and has to reproduce the sculpture.  The compulsory can change from year to year.  The freestyle portion is a single block which is a carvers choice with a three hour time limit.  The team event is both carvers carving three blocks of ice with a four hour time limit, thats fast for students. The overall college team with the highest combined score of all three events is declared the Collegiate National Champions. Go to www.nica.org for more info.


The National Ice Carving Championships (NICC) is the premier event in the United States that crowns NICA’s National Champion.  The list of winners is short and made u of some very prestigious carvers, some of which who have won multiple times.  You must qualify to compete at this event by placing first, second, or third at any NICA sanctioned competition or scoring a bronze medal in your lifetime.  You must also be a NICA member to compete.  This event has two categories; professional and master.  The pro category is for carvers that are at the bronze to low silver range of scoring.  The master category is geared to carvers who consistently score solid silver to gold medals.  As of now their is no rule stating that you must compete in a particular category, for now this is up to the carver.  This is a two day event in which carvers must create a two block sculpture in four hours and a three block sculpture in five hours. Go to www.nica.org for more info.


The World Ice Art Championships is a great event in Fairbanks, AK run by Ice Alaska.  This event has two competitions; multi-block team and the classic single block.  The single block classic is a three day event with a two man team, using a block of ice that measures 8 feet x 5 feet x 3 feet.  If that is not enough ice then try the team event with ten blocks that measure 3 feet x 4 feet x 5 feet, now thats a lot of ice.  This event declares World Champions and is a great place to carve because you have great weather and lots of time to make that perfect sculpture. Go to www.icealaska.com for more info.


It is important that as a competitor you remember a few of things:

  1. •We are there for the people who come to watch, so be nice and talk to them. Ice carving competitions are a form of entertainment.

  2. •Act professional, congratulate the winners even if you think that it should have been you. 

  3. •Tell the other carvers what you like about their sculptures and designs.

  4. •Share information with carvers and they will share with you.  This is an educational atmosphere                 and even the best carvers can learn something from a beginner.

  5. •Thank the event coordinators for having a NICA sanctioned competition because it it takes a lot of hard work and money to make these events happen.

  6. •Encourage events that are not NICA to make the switch, we have the best rules and judging guidelines.

  7. •Support NICA by telling other carvers about us and signing up for membership.

Ice Carving competitions take a special breed of carver.  You must be able to perform under any weather condition and be a fast carver as well.  This has been the rule for most NICA sanctioned events.  Listed below will be the competitions that this site will focus on.  If you have any input on any of the following formats please contact us.

Derek Maxfield, 2008 Tour Champion

Some past great Competition venues:

Youngstown, OH (NICC)

Wilkes Beare, PA (NICC)

Downer’s Grove, IL (NICC)

Las Vegas, NV

Atlantic City, NJ

If anyone would like to add what you considered a great

NICA venue, please let us know.

Check out this tent fully enclosed by Jeff Stahl the year he won Nationals.

“Spring”

Aaron Costic and Martin King carved at World Ice Art Championships in AK. 

First Place Abstract 2009

“Fallen Eagle”

Tajana Raukar carves the eagles wing at the 2002 Ice Carving Competition at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Team mate Aaron Costic