Sandy Claws named Ocean City’s new Miss Crustacean

Last Updated on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 06:26 pm Written by Claire Lowe Wednesday, August 01, 2012 06:07 pm

Anna Park of Sewell and Mantua, on right, displays her hermit crab, Sandy Claws, who won the title of Miss Crustacean Wednesday on the beach. In addition to a blue ribbon, Sandy Claws receives the Cucumber Rind Cup and gets to waddle down a flower bedecked runway as throngs sing the pageant’s theme song, “Here It Comes, Miss Crustacean.”

OCEAN CITY — The rain clouds loomed overhead, but the crab-related activities were not stalled as several hermit crabs competed at the annual Miss Crustacean Hermit Crab Beauty Pageant Wednesday, Aug. 1 at the Sixth Street beach volleyball courts.

The new Miss Crustacean is Sandy Claws, owned by Anna Park of Sewell and Mantua, who received the coveted Cucumber Rind Cup, a symbol of crustacean comeliness. In second place was the Lorax, third was Boardwalk Bride, and honorable mentions went to World Crab Prix, No More Crabffic Jams, Fairy Nice to Live in Ocean City and Miss Crustacean for President.

In the commercial division, the winner for the second year in a row was Old Salt with the Ocean City Crab Bucket List. Second place was Linda’s Gifts with Creeper Crabs, and third place went to Yogurtland with Hello Crabby.

Miss Crustacean has been a question on Jeopardy, been named one of the nation’s ten most unusual events by U.S. News and World Report, been translated into Japanese and German and featured on the Spanish World Wide Television Network, in the London Sunday Times, on London TV, in the Wall Street Journal, as well as media throughout the United States and the world.

The fun didn’t end after the pageant, as several crabs competed for one of eight spots in the final heat of the Hermit Crab Races. The crabathletes race to the finish line over an 8-foot plywood oval. The winner is declared “The King of Klutz,” and receives a plaque that says so from Harry da Horse, aka Ron MacCloskey.

The Pageant and Race are sanctioned by NASCRAB, the National Association of Crab Activities at the Beach.

photos by Claire Lowe

Mark Soifer holds up the new Miss Crustacean, Sandy Claws, at the pageant Wednesday on the Sixth Street volleyball courts.

Anna Park of Sewell and Mantua displays her hermit crab, Sandy Claws, who won the title of Miss Crustacean Wednesday on the beach.

Spectators and crab owners crowd around the racing oval to see which crab will make it to the finish first in the annual Hermit Crab Races Wednesday, Aug. 1 on the Sixth Street beach.

Spectators and crab owners crowd around the racing oval to see which crab will make it to the finish first in the annual Hermit Crab Races Wednesday, Aug. 1 on the Sixth Street beach.

Spectators and crab owners crowd around the racing oval to see which crab will make it to the finish first in the annual Hermit Crab Races Wednesday, Aug. 1 on the Sixth Street beach.

Spectators and crab owners crowd around the racing oval to see which crab will make it to the finish first in the annual Hermit Crab Races Wednesday, Aug. 1 on the Sixth Street beach.

Spectators and crab owners crowd around the racing oval to see which crab will make it to the finish first in the annual Hermit Crab Races Wednesday, Aug. 1 on the Sixth Street beach.

It’s Fairy Nice to Live in Ocean City receives an honorable mention in the Miss Crustacean pageant Wednesday, Aug. 1.

An honorable mention goes to No More Crabffic Jams in the Miss Crustacean pageant Wednesday, Aug. 1 at the Sixth Street beach volleyball courts.

Miss Crustacean for President receives an honorable mention in the annual hermit crab beauty pageant.

Boardwalk Bride is the third place winner of the Miss Crustacean pageant Wednesday in Ocean City.

Linda’s Gifts’ Creeper Crabs wins second place in the commercial division.

Old Salt and the Ocean City Crab Bucket List win first place in the commercial division of the Miss Crustacean pageant Wednesday at the Sixth Street beach.

Old Salt and the Ocean City Crab Bucket List win first place in the commercial division of the Miss Crustacean pageant Wednesday at the Sixth Street beach.

The World Crab Prix gets an honorable mention in the hermit crab beauty pageant.

Despite the threat of rain, the crowds are packed for the annual Miss Crustacean pageant and Hermit Crab Races.

Despite the threat of rain, the crowds are packed for the annual Miss Crustacean pageant and Hermit Crab Races.

City publicist Mark Soifer instructs the contestants on what to do if they are the winner.

The Lorax is the first runner up in the Miss Crustacean pageant in Ocean City Wednesday.