This year’s Behind the Mask Welding Competition was the best attended in the Northwest Section’s history. We had 152 registered contestants and 30 volunteers that included CWI’s, Committee Members and Students from Ridgewater College. GMAW, SMAW, GTAW, and OFC Results are as follows:
Schools that participated:
- Ridgewater College – Hutchinson
- Central Lakes College – Brainerd
- Dunwoody College of Technology
- Alexandria Technical and Community College
- Ridgewater College – Willmar
- Anoka Technical College
COLLEGE / TECHNICAL COLLEGE CONTESTANTS
GTAW:
1st Place: Bronson Nistler (Central Lakes College)
2nd Place: Jack Shaine (Central Lakes College)
3rd Place: Camron Lhotka (Ridgewater College Hutchinson)
GMAW:
1st Place: Joe Ferdelman (Anoka Technical College)
2nd Place: Dominic Nistler (Central Lakes College)
3rd Place: Alex Mounkine (Anoka Technical College)
SMAW:
1st Place: Joe Ferdelman (Anoka Technical College)
2nd Place: Alex Mounkine (Anoka Technical College)
3rd Place: Camron Lhotka (Ridgewater College Hutchinson)
OFC:
1st Place: Joe Ferdelman (Anoka Technical College)
2nd Place: Camron Lhotka (Ridgewater College Hutchinson)
3rd Place: Kelsey Saba (Central Lakes College)
INDUSTRY CONTESTANTS
GTAW:
1st Place: Aaron Klaers APT (Advanced Process Technologies, Inc.)
2nd Place: Adam Young APT (Advanced Process Technologies, Inc.)
OFC:
2nd Place: Keegan Rufer
PRIZES AWARDED:
1st Place: $150.00
2nd Place: $100.00
3rd Place: $75.00
In addition, APT (Advanced Process Technologies, Inc) donated $1,500 to the section to apply toward our scholarship fund.
Several vendors set-up booths at the event, at which the contestants could visit and learn more about jobs and the welding industry.
Dunwoody College of Technology came to the event with a Welding Trivia Game, which all of the contestants got to participate in – it kept everyone interested and tested their welding knowledge too!!!
In addition, there was a raffle of over $8,000 of value in welding prizes/equipment. Top prize was a Rebel welder donated by ESAB.
Last, but not least, we had a razor blade competition, where in the welders had to join 2 razor blades together without filler metal – and the best looking weld won. The winner of the competition was Michael Hudak from Central Lakes College, with a winning pot of $80!!!
All in all it was a very fun event!
