The story so far...

We’re just over halfway through the 2024 JCB Operator Challenge now, with four regional heats down and three more events to go before the final in June.

So far, the challenge has travelled up and down the UK - from Southend and Somerset in the south up to Rotherham and Edinburgh in the North - in the hunt for the best excavator operator. 

At this stage in the competition, 175 people have thrown their hat in the ring and taken part in the challenge, which sees operators undertaking two timed games that test their precision, skill and dexterity. The best overall time for the two games goes up on the leaderboard, with the top three competitors from each of the seven regional heats going forward to the final. 

At this point in the competition, 44 operators have set a time of under 4-minutes with just 10 operators completing the challenge in under 3-minutes.

The quickest so far is Dan Hughes from Collins Earthworks who set a spectacular time of 02:29:08 in the first regional heat held by TC Harrison JCB at the beginning of April. The second fastest time was set by Dan’s colleague, Will Goldstone (02:34:30) and the third fastest time we’ve seen so far was set by Andrew Walker from Herring Plant Hire (02:44:43), with both also taking part in the event held by TC Harrison JCB.

The average time taken to complete the two games is 05:16, which really demonstrates the high quality and skill level of operators that we’re seeing take part in the challenge. 

Anticipation for the final on Monday 24 June is building, with some amazing prizes up for grabs, including an all-expenses paid trip for two to Las Vegas, as well as the coveted title of JCB's Excavator Operator of the Year 2024.

Still to come are events in Northampton, with Watling JCB, and Warrington hosted by Gunn JCB, but next up, the Operator Challenge is on home turf when the fifth regional heat will take place at JCB Kevin Quarry in Staffordshire.

It’s all still to play for! Do you have what it takes? Find out by signing up now.

Here’s how the top three finalists from each of the four regional heats are shaping up against each other…