Palmerston North’s Daniel Watt has smashed his way to victory in the Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Excavator Operator Competition, proving his demolition skills extend far beyond the job site.
The event, held at the National Driver Training Centre in Feilding, saw 14 of the region’s top operators take on a series of ingenious excavator challenges in front of a packed crowd.
Watt, who works for ARC Asbestos Removal and Demolition, claimed victory in his first-ever attempt at the regional competition.
“I’ve been in civil construction for 15 years so it didn’t phase me. The competition is a bit different, but our jobs in demolition are pretty unusual as it is – all my work is done with big buildings above me and other buildings all around, so you can’t get it wrong,” he says.
Competitors tackled eye-catching challenges, including slam dunking a basketball through a manhole, delicately pouring a cup of tea, and even writing words with a paintbrush using only their excavator buckets. More traditional industry tests were also included, such as a first aid quiz and a timed excavator loading challenge.
Watt edged out Thomas Bishop, who placed second, and Jeremiah Waitokia, who finished third, to take the title. His win secures him a spot in the national finals at the Central Districts Field Days in Feilding from 13-15 March, where he will compete against 11 other regional champions for the title of New Zealand’s top excavator operator.
“I’ll just go into it with the same approach and try to keep an open mind. I’ll definitely have the home support – there should be a good 15 people cheering me on, family and people from the company,” Watt says.
Civil Contractors New Zealand Manawatū-Whanganui branch chair Greg Lumsden praised the high standard of competition and the strong interest in the event.
“It was a cracking day out there and we had one operator who really stood out and he was the winner. Hopefully, it will get others thinking about all the career opportunities out there in civil construction and where they could take them,” he says.
The competition, which has been running for four decades, also featured an inter-company contest, where teams of two competed for the highest combined points score. ARC Asbestos Removal and Demolition dominated, with Watt and Bishop securing the top team title, making it a one-two finish for ARC.
The Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Excavator Operator Competition was made possible through the support of major sponsors CablePrice, Attach2, Connexis, First Gas, Hirepool, and Humes, along with a dedicated group of volunteers, judges, and local businesses.
