A JCB but not as we know it
It's no surprise to see JCB bring new products to the market, but the recent release of the 1CX-T combines their know-how of back-hoe loaders with the go-anywhere ability of rubber tracks.
The contest organiser, the New Zealand Contractors’ Federation, says Lux, who works for Fulton Hogan, took home a Hitachi excavator trophy and other prizes.
The 2011 national champion, Matthew Hareb from Waitara, the current Taranaki regional champion, won second place and Hawkes Bay champion Steve Galbraith from Napier was third.
Lux, in the final a second time, also won the Humes Good Bastard award – voted for by contestants – for the finalist seen as the most considerate and helpful. And former national champion Brian Hoffmann, Auckland, won the One Day Job category.
Federation executive office Malcolm Abernethy said Lux was a worthy winner. “James had a great day on Friday, blitzing the field by 20% for that day. Steve Galbraith did the same sort of thing on Saturday, but James remained consistently in the top four for each activity.”
Lux says he loves every minute of operating excavators and enjoys taking part in the famously gruelling contest. “How can you not love this industry. You are outside driving big toys and changing the face of the earth.”
Contestants must do delicate tasks using the buckets of 12-tonne Hitachi machines. For example, popping a champagne cork, flipping sausages on a barbecue, slam-dunking a basketball and pouring a cup to tea.
Deadly serious contest aspects include two days of rigorous construction, planning and loading challenges designed to test their operator skills and industry knowledge to the limit.
