This weekend will be the most exciting battles of athleticism all year long, nope we are not talking about the start of the NCAA tournament, we are talking about the World Finals of the Ultimate Tradesman Challenge from Irwin Tools. They have flown in the worlds 6 top winners, from litterally thousands of contestants, to the Bristol Motor Speedway for the final showdown this Sunday, March 20, 2011. Irwin has really been innovative in the hand tool category and 2011 looks to be very promising for them, with new products in Utility Knives, Vise-Grips, Drill Bits and much more. Check out the video below.
Huntersville, N.C. — IRWIN® Tools, a world-class manufacturer and marketer of a broad line of professional hand tools and power tool accessories, will host the Ultimate Tradesman Challenge World Finals on Sunday, March 20, 2011. Six competitors from around the world will use their trade skills to perform a series of precise tasks — such as gripping, sawing, marking, clamping and drilling — in a race against the clock. The tradesman with the top time will be crowned the Ultimate Tradesman Challenge World Champion and will have a chance to win up to $1 MILLION.
IRWIN Tools, a company serious about celebrating the contributions of professional tradesmen, hosted over 250 competitions in nine countries to identify the top six competitors who can Grip It, Rip It, and Drive It faster than any other tradesman. On Sunday, March 20, 2011, one will be crowned the IRWIN Tools Ultimate Tradesman Challenge World Champion. “IRWIN Tools is excited to host these talented competitors at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Ultimate Tradesman Challenge World Finals,” said Curt Rahilly, VP of Marketing for IRWIN Tools. “At IRWIN, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of professional tradesmen. These trade professionals make a real difference in their communities each and every day because of the work they do. Our competition is a celebration of their contributions and talent.”
Six Ultimate Tradesman Challenge Competitors:
Representing North America from Brandon, Mississippi is Delwyn Thornton. Thornton has been the owner of Soles and Heels Shoe Repair for 27 years, and says his favorite IRWIN tool is QUICK-GRIP® clamps. When he isn’t working on shoes, Thornton likes to get out and ride his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
South America’s hopes lie in the hands of Brazilian Champion Helmut Radke Neto. Helmut, from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, is the owner of an ice cream machine parts manufacturer. He enjoys playing paintball and says that his favorite IRWIN tool is VISE-GRIP® GrooveLock Pliers.
Bjørn Ravn Kühlmeier is the 2010 Scandinavian Champion. From, Erritsø, Fredericia, Denmark, Bjørn is a self-employed carpenter or “selvstændig tømrer.” Kühlmeier enjoys relaxing with family and friends in his free time.
Representing the UK/Ireland is Daniel Shepherd. Shepherd is from Halifax, England, and is a carpenter/joiner. Shepherd’s hobbies include building custom cars and driving the Aston Martin that he won in the UK/Ireland Ultimate Tradesman Challenge championship. As a carpenter, the IRWIN Tools Universal Handsaw is Shepherd’s tool of choice.
Matthew “Matt” Francis will be representing Australia/New Zealand in the Ultimate Tradesman Challenge World Finals. Francis is from Townsville, Queensland, Australia where he works as a secondary school industrial arts teacher and is the head of the Industrial Technology & Design Department. Francis’ favorite IRWIN tool is QUICK-GRIP® clamps.
Rounding out the competition is Eastern European Champion Krystof Doroziński. Doroziński is from Stawka Wielka, Poland, where he is a carpenter. When Doroziński isn’t practicing his trade, he likes to spend time outdoors hunting and fishing.