《中英對照讀新聞》Stone stacking contest brings gravity-defying sculptures to Scottish beach 堆石頭比賽將挑戰地心引力的雕塑品帶到蘇格蘭海灘

◎魏國金

Sculpture artists gathered in Scotland on Sunday to compete for the title of champion stone stacker.

雕塑藝術家週日齊聚蘇格蘭，為堆石頭冠軍頭銜一較高下。

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More than 30 participants from America, Spain, Italy and from around Britain converged on Dunbar, near Edinburgh, for the second European Stone Stacking Championships.

逾30名來自美國、西班牙、義大利及英國各地的參賽者，為了第二屆歐洲堆石錦標賽，聚集在愛丁堡附近的鄧巴。

Competitors must create the most complex and gravity-defying artistic sculptures from rocks and pebbles gathered on the town’s Eye Cave Beach. "（It’s） the most ancient art form that there is," James Craig Page, the fledgling contest’s founder, said.

參賽者必須以取自該鎮眼洞海灘的石塊與小卵石，創造出最複雜與挑戰地心引力的藝術雕塑。「這是現存最古老的藝術形式。」這個剛起步的競賽創辦人佩吉說。

Stone stacking however has angered some conservationists who accuse enthusiasts of "rubbing out history" by removing rocks from ancient neolithic monuments. Page insists the professional artists take care to preserve the natural and historic environment.

然而，堆石頭激怒一些生態保育人士，他們指控狂熱份子搬動新石器時代遺址的石塊，「抹除歷史」。佩吉堅稱，專業的藝術家會小心維護自然與歷史環境。

Pedro Duran, from Spain, was named European champion for the second year running for his stone archway, while James Brunt, 46, from the English city Sheffield, won runner-up for his intricate sculpture of a rollercoaster.

來自西班牙的杜蘭以他的石頭拱門，連續第二年獲頒歐洲冠軍；現年46歲、來自英國城市雪菲爾的布朗特，則以他複雜精細的雲霄飛車雕塑贏得亞軍。

"I got into stone stacking about seven years ago," said Brunt. "Everyone thought it was a kind of magic, and I saw the science behind it."

「約在7年前我對堆石產生興趣，」 布朗特說。「大家以為這是一種魔術，但我看到背後的科學。」

新聞辭典

rub out：擦掉、抹掉。例句：The stains won’t rub out.（這些污漬擦不掉。）

running：連續地。例句：It has been raining for four days running.（已經連下4天雨。）

get into：對…發生興趣或愛好。例句：I’m getting into knitting these days.（最近我對編織產生興趣。）