Youngsters show off LEGO skills

Forget hi-tech computer games Halo 4 or Call of Duty, youngsters yesterday showed off their skills using one of the oldest and enduring toys – LEGO.

The Annex Toys 2013 LEGO Building competition took place at the Phoenix Centre, Reid Street, with the grand prize a stunning trip for two to LEGOLAND in Florida on Delta Airlines.

The prize included three night’s accommodation as well as a two-day admission ticket to the LEGOLAND park.

And the prospect of experiencing the magical trip inspired some hugely-impressive designs with detailed LEGO versions of a helicopter, gym, ship, a skyscraper and a football stadium on show. Sponge Bob Square Pants even came to life thanks to some expertly-arranged plastic bricks.

However, it was Graeme Mayhew’s ambitious – and expansive – World Bermuda entry that ultimately won the vote, beating off category winners Carter Benard (soccer field) and Connor Shanahan Guay (ship) to the much-sought after plane tickets.

It was a nerve-wracking vote, though, with Graeme winning by just two votes from Carter's soccer entry.

Annex Toys manager Jacquelyn Napier-Marsh said the event, now in its third year, just gets “better and better”.

“It’s been fantastic and very keenly contested. What’s been fun to watch has been seeing the kids really campaigning for their design – they’ve been telling me ‘this is what this is’ and ‘this is what this does’.

“They just make it harder to pick the finalists each year so there’s no doubt the competition is getting steeper and steeper.

“Graeme was a deserving winner, I’m happy for him. He was campaigning a lot! His ‘World Bermuda’ entry took him three weeks but it was really close in the voting with the soccer field.”

The category prizes saw the winner get a $75 gift card, second place pick up $50 and third pocket $25.

Full results

4-7 years

1: Carter Benard (soccer field)

2: Euan Frankie Brewster (hot air balloon)

3: Ethan Lacey (treasure chest)

8-12  years

1: Graeme Mayhew (Bermuda World)

2: Rian McDonnell (military base)

3: Jezhar Talbot (gymnastics course)

13-18 years

1: Connor Shanahan Guay (ship)

2: Blake Outerbridge (skyscraper)

3: Alex Decker (Sponge Bob)

Overall winner: Graeme Mayhew