Did you know that Ikea sells bowls which hold a half-sphere shape? They do! You can use them to make deluxe ice balls!

When I finished freezing the first one, I grabbed it with both hands and held it up to the light. It looked amazing, and daaaamn it was cold.

In just a few seconds, the ice became downright painful to hold. It was quite a challenge to hold it for more than 15 seconds.

Immediately I wanted to share this experience with other people. I whipped up a cooler full of ice balls and hit the streets with my (actually Nick's) trusty folding table. The pitch was simple. I dared people to hold the ice ball in their hand for one full minute. It was not unlike that shaolin trial featured in the show Kung Fu, but instead of lifting a red-hot iron cauldron, participants would lift an ice cold ball.

I loved the situation. Everyone has held ice, but no one has been challenged with it!

Daniel was the very first person to try it. He was successful, holding the ball for one full minute!

What was his reward? Not a lot, just his name on the CHAMPIONS board.

Don't let this woman's calm demeanor fool you. That ice is making her nerves scream. Agony! Pain! Distress!

Her name is Ana, and she held the ice ball for three and a half minutes!

The Ice Ball Challenge was on Saturday night, September 3rd. SacAnime, the premiere Sacramento anime convention was in full swing, and there were a fair number of costumed visitors roaming the city streets.

Meghan was up for the challenge. She held an ice ball for a minute and a half!

Rob (on the left) was ready to conquor the ball. His son Oscar briefly held the record at four minutes, seventeen seconds!

Then Matt arrived (on the right) and he was ready to smash any record! He seemed impervious to cold and held an ice ball for almost twelve minutes!

This was a record which would never be shattered!

But the ice ball challenge wasn't ready for Stephanie. Stephanie knew what she wanted, and she was going to get it.

Stephanie was determined to be the ice ball champion. She beat out Santos, Justin and Ryan.

These were fighting men. Men who had seen some shit.