Crane Operator Championship at ICUEE

Crane operators to compete on Altec Crane during championship competition

By Tracy Bennett

Crane Institute Certification, Crane & Rigging Hot Line magazine, and Altec Inc., jointly announce the 2015 Crane Operator & Rigger Championship, to be held Sept. 29, 2015 at the International Construction and Utility Equipment Expo, in Louisville, Ky. Fifteen crane operators, who previously qualified for the Championship at regional competitions, will compete for a Grand Prize of $10,000.

The Championship is hosted by Altec in Area K-129. Attendees to ICUEE are invited to watch the competition, which begins at 9 am on Sept. 29. Winners will be announced at 4 pm. First runner up receives $2,000; second runner up receives $1000.

“Altec is honored to host this event in conjunction with CIC and Crane & Rigging Hot Line,” said Brent Twombly, Sales Manager of Altec Cranes. “We see this as a great opportunity to provide value to the crane industry while emphasizing the importance of certification to ensure safe work environments.”

“The Championship would not have been possible without the support and sponsorship of CIC Practical Examiners who provide training and qualification services and local sponsors, who hosted regional events in half a dozen cities. CIC Practical Examiners, serving all 50 States, administer four different mobile crane exams, which qualify operators according to the type and capacity of crane,” said Jim Headley, CEO of CIC.

Competition standards and scoring are designed by Crane Institute Certification and administered by CIC Practical Examiners. The Championship includes three crane operation challenges to assess load handling skill: maneuvering a barrel through a course, tipping a pipe end-to-end, and dunking the headache ball into a barrel.

“A new arrangement of the Championship course combined with a crane boom extension of at least 100 feet increases the difficulty of the challenges compared to previous regional qualifying courses. The Altec AC45-127S is an excellent choice for this competition. The swing-mount, dual entry cab offers 20° tilt, providing a first-class experience for a boom truck,” said Headley.

In addition, a portion of the overall score comes from successful completion of a rigging challenge designed by Columbus McKinnon Corp.

“Both Altec and Columbus McKinnon have been valuable partners with CIC. Members of their respective training divisions serve as subject matter experts on CIC Advisory and Governing Committees. We appreciate their input,” said Headley.

Meet the Operators

During 2014 and 2015, CIC Practical Examiners partnered with local sponsors to hold regional qualifiers to select the operators who would advance to the championship. Two additional operators will be selected during a Midwest regional held on Sept. 28, in Louisville, Ky. To register, visit www.cicert.com/news/regional-events

Paul Aldridge, AME Inc., Fort Mill, S.C.

Tim Beck, SNS Rigging, Maxbass, N.D.

Kenneth Bowyer, ALL Crane Rental of Florida, Tampa, Fla.

Rudy Cardona, Bay Ltd., Corpus Christi, Texas

John Clodfelter, Superior Cranes Inc., Rockingham, N.C.

Eric Gaut, CraneWorks, Birmingham, Ala.

Jeff Halland, Borsheim Crane Service, Williston, N.D.

Fred King, Superior Cranes Inc., Rockingham, N.C.

Tyler Mayo, BGM Inc., Hardwick, Vt.

Chris Pavino, CraneWorks, Birmingham, Ala.

Jesse Pettit, Marco Crane & Rigging, Phoenix, Ariz.

Craig Tanguay, Summit Crane Co., Bristol, Conn.

Jose Villanueva, Bay Ltd., Corpus Christi, Texas