Representing the Australian team were technicians Anthony Wood from Wagga Wagga Isuzu Ute in New South Wales and Tim Haag from Blue Ribbon Isuzu Ute in Ipswich, Queensland, with IUA trainer and fleet care manager Sam Junuzovic also participating as coach.

Attracting the top technicians from 22 countries, the competition – widely known as the ‘I-1 Grand Prix’ (for Isuzu’s number-one people in service skills and technical knowledge) – involves a series of assignments covering mechanical measuring, a practical assembly exercise as well as electrical diagnostics, practical repair tests, a vehicle inspection and systems management diagnosis.

A written exam covering general and Isuzu-specific technical product knowledge is also part of the assessment.

Australia finished just off the podium, with Indonesia first, ahead of the Philippines and Thailand in second and third place respectively.

IUA said the Aussie team was the first to finish all five questions in the practical competition and scored second place in the written exam. The company also said it was the highest-placed distributor of Isuzu light-commercial vehicles that does not have a native manufacturing operation.

GoAuto understands that Isuzu Australia Limited’s representatives at the commercial vehicle leg of the World Technical Competition – Matthew Kempnich from Gold Coast Isuzu and Ty Jenkins of Westar Truck Centre (Victoria) – are competing at a separate I-1 Grand Prix event in Fujisawa, Japan, early this month.

By Terry Martin

Ute masters: Technicians Anthony Wood (left) and Tim Haag (right) represented Isuzu Ute Australia at the recent Isuzu World Technical Competition, and were coached by IUA’s trainer and fleet care manager Sam Junuzovic (centre).