20 January 2019,
Calgary – Four Filipino-Canadians won the 1st International Snow Sculpting
Competition during the
Snow Days Festival held in Banff, Alberta, Canada, on 17-19 January
2019. The couples Ross and Marites Baisas and Antonio and Maria Elena Baisas,
known as Team Baisas, won the contest for their snow sculpture called “Tangle”
which depicted two moose with inter-locking antlers. Team Baisas, representing both the
Philippines and Canada, bested five other international competitors by winning
both the 1st Place (Judges’ Pick) and the People’s Choice awards.
Brothers Ross and
Antonio come from a family of wood carvers from Paete, Laguna, Philippines.
Antonio came to Canada in 1996, followed by Ross in 2002. Antonio and Maria Elena are now residents of
Ottawa while Ross and Marites are based in Montreal.
The Snow Days celebration is a 12-day long annual event highlighting the winter season in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. The event’s main attractions are the massive snow sculptures in downtown Banff. “Tangle” is now on display at Bear Street in Banff.
During their stay in Banff for the snow sculpting competition, Team
Baisas received support from the Filipino community in Banff, led by the
Filipino-Canadian (FORM) Community Association in the Rockies, and the
Calgary-based Dyaryo Filipino.
Deputy Consul General Zaldy Patron phoned the Baisas brothers on 20
January to personally congratulate them for their achievement. He told the
Baisas brothers that their accomplishment had highlighted the artistic talents
of the Filipinos in Canada. The bothers, in return, said they were happy to
share their success with the Filipino-Canadian community.