Warm temperatures, sunny skies, large crowds and a high-speed course made Wacker Neuson’s fifth annual Trowel Challenge competition a highlight for World of Concrete attendees. Each year, the Wacker Neuson trowel challenge competition increases in popularity and has become a show destination for many fans and professional finishers.
Over 150 trowel operators took this year’s challenge held in Wacker Neuson’s outdoor exhibit at the World of Concrete trade show. The challenge tested the participants’ entire range of skills as they maneuvered around an obstacle course on a 30 x 80 foot (2,400 square foot) slab.
Preliminary competitions were held Tuesday through Thursday during the show. The contestants with the top 10 fastest times from the preliminaries advanced to the finals held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 7. The top 10 finalists each had one run through the course and that time was added to their preliminary time.
The 2013 winners of the Wacker Neuson TROWEL CHALLENGE competition
FIRST PLACE:
Wyatt Molzahn, Wyatt Molzahn Construction, Inc., Worland, WY
Winning combined time: 58.708. Molzahn’s qualifying time was 29.341 and his final run time was 29.358. These two times were combined for the fastest total time of 58.708 during the three day event.
Molzahn is the winner of the grand prize: a customized CRT 48-35VX ride-on trowel powered by a special Vanguard BIG BLOCK V-twin engine and an all-expense paid trip for two to the Caribbean.
SECOND PLACE:
Richard Martin, Poppoff, Inc., Richland, WA.
Combined run time: 59.932. Martin’s qualifying time was 29.341 and his final run time was 30.591
For his efforts, Martin takes home a Wacker Neuson CRT 36, 36-inch walk-behind trowel.
THIRD PLACE:
Kent Goossen, Al’s Construction, Rosenort, Manitoba, Canada.
Combined run time: 60.304. Goossen’s qualifying time was 30.873 and his final run time as 29.431
Goossen is the winner of a Wacker Neuson BTS 635s portable cut-off saw.
Martin started the finals in first place, but slipped to the second place finish after Molzhan’s solid run. Goossen started the finals in eighth place, but after his excellent final run time, moved up to the third place spot. Each of the top 10 finishers also received a Wacker Neuson jacket.
For more information about the complete TROWEL CHALLENGE, please visit www.trowelchallenge.com.
