SOURCE: Equipment World | December 16, 2024
Caterpillar is gearing up to launch its Global Operator Challenge to pinpoint the best heavy equipment operators in the world.
Competition begins in January for the 2025-2026 series of challenges, starting at local Cat dealers. These local events, held around the world, will extend into September. Winners will advance to regional semifinals. Of those, nine competitors will advance to the finals, to be held at ConExpo/ConAgg 2026 in Las Vegas.
This marks Caterpillar’s third global challenge. The last competition culminated at ConExpo 2023, with Patrick Doheny of Australia winning the overall award. Matt Ferris, a senior superintendent at Kincaid Civil Construction in San Tan Valley, Arizona, came in second place, followed by Łukasz Mokrzyński of Poland in third place.
In the 2022-2023 challenge, 10,000 competitors from 32 countries participated at more than 140 Cat dealers. Caterpillar says it plans to expand the next challenge to more than 40 countries.
“For nearly 100 years, our customers have been pushing the limits with our machines,” said Caterpillar Construction Industries Group President Tony Fassino. “This challenge helps showcase and celebrate the exceptional skills of the expert men and women in this important profession as they forge their legacies of being the best operators in the world.”
The competition involves at least three different challenges on at least three separate pieces of equipment. Competitors are scored on operator skills, safety, efficiency and competence on Cat heavy equipment using Cat’s integrated technology.
The winner receives either a $10,000 cash prize or a trip of equal value for two where Caterpillar has a location worldwide.
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