The ‘Operator Challenge’ UK & Ireland heats were held on the 23rd and 24th May 2019 at the
Competitors from all over the UK & Ireland took part in the challenge over the two days with three highly skilled operators topping the leaderboard - Liam Lambert finished first with a total time of 6 min 26 seconds and amazingly two brothers took second and third place, Thomas Murphy in 6 min 55 seconds and Maurice Murphy in 7 min 9 seconds.
The time-trialled event consisted of three different challenges using the Cat 259D, Cat 302 and Cat 320 GC. All trials involved precision control using the latest joystick controls featured on next gen models. All trials were carefully judged with 10 second penalties for not completing parts of the task correctly.
Considered the hardest of the three, the Cat 259D Compact track loader skid steer challenge involved an obstacle course, carefully picking up a girder from a H-frame to place on a designated area. Once dropped, another lap of the obstacle course before picking and placing the girder back onto the H-frame.
Cat 302 mini excavators faced a coned track to test the operator and machines manoeuvrability in tight spaces, after battling through this section, T bars had to be carefully lifted and moved to different stands before reversing back into the start line.
Finally, the Cat 320 GC with a grabber attachment, was surrounded by different sized tyres. Operators had to pick and place the tyres in descending size order into a neat pyramid before placing back into their respective starting points.
With the best combined time over the challenges, the three finalists have made the European Regional Heat in Malaga with a chance to test their metal against Europe’s best, and the chance to compete in the World Finals, held at
For more information on the operator challenge and Finning products and services, visit
