PHOTO GALLERY: The Best and Biggest Sand Sculpture Contest at Capitola Beach

The flurry of sand-slinging ended at Capitola Beach with a few land-lubbers from Los Altos Hills taking a top prize for their sand sculpture during the  last weekend. 

The contest, which took place Saturday during the beach town's three-day Labor Day blowout, was quite the sight. Seventy sculptures spread along the beach from the Capitola Pier all the way down to the jetty on the other side of the beach.

Los Altos Hills residents were awarded first place in the small-group category with their "Dancing with the Stars" piece. The members of the group are known only by their first names—Vince, Amanda, Megan, Fiona and Olivia—because only first names were recorded for the contest.

Sand castle statues attached to plaques were awarded for five categories, with

Capitola residents took home the grand prize for their sculpture, titled "Two Left Feet." Capitola residents also took first place in the large-group category with their "Serpent by the Sea" sculpture. 

San Jose residents won first place in the one child/one adult category with their "Dancing Sea Life" sculpture, while a group of Santa Cruz kids took first place in the 9-to-14-year-old category with their "Dancing with the Stars" figure. And lastly, Petaluma kids took first place with their "Baseball Mitt" sculpture in the 8-year-old and under category.

Dancing was a popular element in many of the names, because "Let's Dance!" was the theme of this year's Begonia Festival.

To view all the sand sculptures entered visit the Begonia Festival website, which will have all the photos available online within a couple of days.

Here's the early list:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:           

Name of Sculpture: Two Left Feet

Builders: Bonnnie, Scott, Chris, Kenna, Paul, Rachel, Brian, Jenny

Builders are from: Capitola

LARGE GROUPS:

FIRST PLACE

Name of Sculpture: Serpent By the Sea

Builders: Chris, Donna, Taya, Darla, Michael, Ryan, Chrissy

Builders are from: Capitola

SECOND PLACE

Name of Sculpture: Soul Train

Builders: The Turkeys

Builders are from: Santa Cruz

SMALL GROUPS:

FIRST PLACE

Name of Sculpture: Dancing with the Stars

Builders: Vince, Amanda, Megan, Fiona, Olivia

Builders are from: Los Altos Hills

SECOND PLACE

Name of Sculpture: Royal Dnace

Builders: Richard, Wilfred

Builders are from: Walnut Creek

ONE CHILD, ONE ADULT:

FIRST PLACE

Name of Sculpture: Dancing Sea Life

Builders: Anson Kahaku

Builders are from: San Jose

SECOND PLACE

Name of Sculpture: I Feel Like Dancing

Builders: Kat Wilson

Builders are from: Soquel

9- TO 14-YEAR-OLDS:

FIRST PLACE

Name of Sculpture: Dancing With The Stars

Builders: Maggie, Danny

Builders are from: Santa Cruz

SECOND PLACE

Name of Sculpture: Ocean Boogie

Builders: Ally and Liam Martin

Builders are from: Capitola

8 YEARS AND UNDER:

FIRST PLACE

Name of Sculpture: Baseball Mitt

Builders: Callan, Sawyer, Dave, Jen

Builders are from: unknown

SECOND PLACE

Name of Sculpture: Rock Mountain

Builders: Bella, Charlie

Builders are from:Aptos