Red Deer County residents Brian McArthur and Dawn Detarando are in season three of the CBC program Race Against the Tide, premiering July 16. (@RileySmithPhoto)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19) and Sheldon Spackman

fierce sand-sculpting

Red Deerians competing on season three of CBC’s Race Against the Tide

Jul 15, 2023 | 11:02 AM

Two Red Deer County residents are set to appear on season three of the CBC show Race Against the Tide, which premieres Sunday, July 16.

The program pits six teams of two in the, “world’s toughest, sand sculpting competition,” according to an official synopsis.

This season features central Alberta’s Brian McArthur and Dawn Detarando, owners of Voyager Art Inc., who filmed their episodes last September on the Bay of Fundy.

The pair, who are more accustomed to ice sculpting, can’t say how they finished in the competition, but do share that the experience was an exciting one.

“We have friends who had participated in previous seasons, which is how producers heard about us, through word of mouth. In the end, we had about a week and a half to prepare because they had called us once and we had to say no, but they they rearranged some schedules, and asked us again,” says Detarando.

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“We actually hadn’t done sand sculpting since 2004, so we were a bit hesitant to say yes because of lacking that recent experience. But we do understand the concept of it.”

The two usually spend plenty of time in the winter doing ice sculpting competitions in Banff and Edmonton, and are returning to Sweden’s Icehotel this November.

Speaking of international flair, half of season three’s teams are from abroad, including Mexico, the United States and the Netherlands.

At the end of each day, the Red Deerians say, one team is voted off the beach by a panel of judges until one is left standing, to walk away with the $10,000 grand prize.

Judges include Karen Fralich and Rusty Croft, sculptors in their own right, alongside host, New Brunswick’s award-winning artist and godfather of Canadian Hip Hop, Maestro Fresh Wes.

“We have a new appreciation for how quick you have to be with these sand sculptures. You’re struggling to pack up the form in the first 90 to 120 minutes, then you have to take the forms off, be direct and not contemplate much in what you’re doing,” McArthur explains.

“We really appreciate the artists who do this full-time, and their willingness and perseverance. We also appreciate the area we were in, how beautiful it is, plus what goes into creating a TV show, with how many cameras and crew members there behind the scenes. It was all pretty eye-opening.”

Detarando, noting the couple binged seasons one and two before filming season three, says the show is, “definitely entertaining,” and a, “great show to watch in the summer.”

Race Against the Tide premieres July 16 at 8:30 p.m. MT on CBC and CBC Gem.