By Tara Kyle
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
CHELSEA — What do centipedes, octopuses, dragons and rats have in common? At least until the temperatures rise, snow models of each of these creatures are standing on the High Line.
While the rest of the city grumbled through plowed-in cars and jumbo-sized puddles, Friends of the High Line brought some joy to the snow day by offering a first-ever "Snow Sculpt-Off."
Fourteen teams raced to complete the best-designed project over a two-hour period Thursday afternoon.
One of the three sculptures that took a joint-third place prize (ice skating passes at the Standard Hotel's new rink), was an octopus crafted Chelsea resident Deborah Fenker, who works as a model.
"I originally had something more morbid in mind," Fenker said, declining to describe the original idea. "I decided to go a little more organic. I've been eating a lot of octopus lately."
A "Snow Rex" created by a group of NYU students and a miniature Empire State Building also took third place honors.
Two teenage sisters, Mica and Noa Yoder won the second prize (passes to Chelsea Piers) for the rats they forged out of snow, Indian corn kernels and toothpicks.
"It seemed appropriate for the city — our little snow rats," explained Mica, a 16-year-old student at Lab High.
But top honors went to three roommates in their early 30s from Bedford-Stuyvesant, who sculpted a snow dragon. They took home an iPod shuffle, Amy's Bread certificate and a behind-the-scenes tour of the High Line.
Although the winning trio high-fived in celebration, the victory didn't stem the chill seeping into their boots, parks planner Raj Kottamassu, 30, explained after hearing the results.
"I'm feeling cold and ready for a hot drink and some bread," he said.
