At the end of November, the international final of the Game of Cranes took place at the Liebherr plant in Ehingen. The five best mobile crane operators from North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Africa/Middle East/Asia fought for the Game of Cranes throne.
Five practical and theoretical tasks requiring precision, technical understanding, and strong nerves. Over two days, competitors had to calculate load capacities and rigging conditions, configure cranes, and transport loads, all under the watchful eye of a strict jury. The crane operators rotated from one stage to the next: in the training centre, they had to correctly attach various loads such as concrete buckets and blocks to an indoor crane, while outside they had to manoeuvre a container — inside which pylons and a pyramid of cups had been erected — around an obstacle.
"At the next stages, the finalists calculated the wind load on a steel plate and lifted it over an obstacle using a single hook before pouring a bottle precisely into a beer glass using two hooks," reports Michaela Gogeißl, sales manager customer training. The last two stages also required precision and concentration: The task was to pick up a 5-tonne load and guide it through an S-shaped course with simultaneous movements — lifting, luffing, turning — without bumping into the obstacles. "Last but not least, the ‘hot wire' awaited our professionals. They had to guide a slewing ring over a pipe construction using two hooks without touching it."
After two days of excitement, the winner was finally announced: Scott White from City Lifting in Great Britain secured the title of "World Crane Champion" with 898 points.
"It was a fantastic competition and great fun — I'm over the moon that I did it! The S-course was the biggest challenge, the hot wire was the best station," said White. He has already been invited to defend his title in 2027.
Liebherr received around 200 applications from mobile crane operators from all over the world to take part in the Game of Cranes. "The performances we saw in the final were impressive. All participants demonstrated how demanding and professional crane operation is today," says Christoph Behmüller, head of training and development at Liebherr in Ehingen.
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