FAIRBANKS — Top honors went to American and Russian ice sculptors at a Saturday ceremony in Fairbanks, the Ice Sculpting Capital of the World.

Fairbanks sculptors Steve and Heather Brice teamed with Ohio sculptors Aaron Costic and Jeff Meyers to win the Multi-Block BP World Ice Art Championships in the realistic category for the sculpture “Saltwater Safari.”

Taking first place in the abstract category were Russian sculptors Vitaliy Lednev and Sergei Loginov for “Winds of Alaska,” announced Ice Alaska, the non-profit organization that hosts the international competition annually.

Each team won cash prizes of $2,000.

Twenty-one teams with members from far-flung corners of the world, including China, Mexico, Poland, France, Ireland, Monaco, Gabon and more carved their crystal creations from 10 ice blocks weighing about 4,400 pounds. They had six days to complete their masterpieces, which can be viewed at the Ice Park through March 28 or online at www.icealaska.com.

“There are so many good sculptures this year,” Ice Park spokeswoman Susan Burgess said. “Each year, it gets better and better.”

Steve Brice is a 13-time world ice sculpting champion who has competed around the world. He operates the Aurora Ice Museum with his wife, Heather, a four-time world ice sculpting champion. Heather won first place this year for the sculpture “Blue Ring Octopus” in the single block competition’s realistic category.

Costic boasts 12 top-three finishes in the world ice art championships since 1998, according to his Ice Alaska biography. He won second place in this year’s single block competition in the realistic category for “Chasing the Wind.”

Meyers previously won first place for a multi-block sculpture in 2005.

The winning Russian duo in the abstract category has also placed in the top three in previous world ice art competitions, according to their biographies. Loginov teaches art at Khabarovsk State University in Russia’s Far East. Lednev works in marketing and public relations in the summer and builds ice parks in Russia in the winter.

Second place in the realistic category went to Junichi Nakamura, Kyoichi Yoshikawa, Koji Kareki and Shinichi Sawamura, representing Japan with “Attacking Claws.” Samuel Girault of France along with Robert Burkat, Michal Miqula and Zbigniew Palubiak of Poland won second place in the abstract category for “Blblblblblblbl ...bl.” Prizes were $720 per team.

“Death Grip” by An, Zhe; An, Qi Feng;  An, Qi Ling; and  Le, Hai, representing China, won third place in the realistic category. “Kelly’s Whitewater Park” by Jason Waldron of Oregon and Mirva Valkama of Finland along with Jeff Weston and Danny Spangler, both of Idaho, won third place in the abstract category. Prizes were $560 per team.

2010 is the world ice carving championship’s 21st year.