This year’s team of two technicians and coach, representing Isuzu Truck (UK) Ltd, has travelled to Japan and returned home victorious. The team took part in Isuzu’s annual World Technical Competition, the I-1 Grand Prix, which was held last week in Japan, successfully fighting off the challenges from 31 other teams, representing 31 other countries from around the globe. The UK team won the world title outright for the first time ever.
Isuzu Truck UK is the first European team to have ever won this accolade. The UK trio was crowned world champions ahead of a team representing Australia in second place, with the third place going to Switzerland. Last year's winner was the team representing the home nation - Japan; however they were unable to retain their crown this year, but did finish in a very credible fourth position.
The 3-man UK title-winning team comprised of technicians Brian George, from Imperial Commercials in Glasgow, and Chris Richmond from Ferndown Commercials in Dorset. They were marshalled by the team’s experienced coach Tony Hicks, technical trainer at ITUK. The victorious UK team was accompanied to the competition by ITUK’s managing director, Pete Murphy and general manager of training, Tim Hicks.
“To win this competition at only our fifth attempt, against such experienced opposition, is an incredible achievement and our technicians fully deserve the global recognition that they will receive as world champions. It was also particularly poignant for Tony Hicks, who has been the UK team coach every year since 2010. Tony is due to retire in 2015 and this was his last attempt to win the world crown,” said his son Tim Hicks, general manager of training, Isuzu Truck UK.
The Isuzu Truck World Technical Competition is now in its ninth year and the 2014 event was the biggest in the history of the competition to date. This year, 31 teams and countries were represented, comprising a total of 93 competitors. Originally the competition was only open to teams from Asia and Oceania; but in 2010 it was opened up to all nations and that was the year that a team from ITUK first made its debut in the competition.
In front of an audience of over 700 spectators, the 2014 global technical competition comprised of a series of events covering mechanical measuring, checking serviceability and a practical assembly exercise, as well as electrical diagnostics, practical repair tests, a vehicle inspection and systems management diagnosis. The teams also underwent a grueling 25-question, written paper exam, covering general and Isuzu specific technical product knowledge.
“As always, it's a huge honour for ITUK to be invited to participate in this important worldwide event. Every year, the quality and standards required to be successful get higher and higher, as more and more countries from around the world participate in this prestigious competition. Detailed preparation, studying and practice played a key part in the UK team’s plans this year. The three-man team benefited from an extensive one-week training program prior to attending the event. This obviously paid dividends as the team went on to successfully win the world crown for the first time,” added Tim Hicks.
www.isuzutruck.co.uk
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