ANNUAL CONNECTION
This iconic event is the highlight of the Energy Industry calendar and showcases the talents of its brightest stars. Featuring three days of intense cable jointer and line mechanic competitions with teams from all around New Zealand battling it out. Events include a pole top rescue, team building and first aid competitions, as well as a pit rescue and spike gun event.
2018 event
2 – 4 October
Airforce Museum, Christchurch
2018’s event was fantastic!
A huge congratulations to the competition winners and winners of the Excellence Awards.
We would also like to extend a very large thank you to our 2018 sponsors – we could not run this event without you, so thank you!
Check out the photos from the day
Cable Jointer Competition and Line Mechanic Competition
This years competition was a good one!
Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all competitors for making it such a tight competition.
Congratulations to our 2018 winners
Overall Winners
Cable Jointer
- 1st: Kirk McDonald – Mainpower
- 2nd: Ruan Naude – Electrix
- 3rd: Paul Barclay – PowerNet
Line Mechanic
- 1st: Mainpower
- 2nd: Powernet Circuit
- 3rd: Independent Line Services
Special Awards
- Ross Archer Memorial Line Mechanic Safety Award: Connie Wallace – Netcon
- Dougie Award: Electra
- Leadership Award: Paul Innes – Independent Line Services
Cable Jointer Competition
- Electrical Theory: Ruan Naude – Electrix
- Spike Gun: Paul Barclay – Powernet
- First Aid: Paul Barclay – Powernet
- Pit Rescue: Ruan Naude – Electrix
- LV Branch Joint: Paul Barclay – Powernet
- HV Joint: Callum Pawsey – Delta Utility Services
- HV Outdoor Termination: Kirk McDonald, MainPower
- HV Indoor Termination: Kevin Piere, Netcon
Line Mechanic Competition
- Pole Installation: Mainpower
- Electrical Theory: Netcon
- Pole Top Rescue: Electrix
- Line Build: Mainpower
- First Aid: Powernet Circuit
- Utilities Location: Independent Line Services
- Rigging: Independent Line Services
- Transformer Installation: Electrix
- Low Voltage Distribution Install: Powernet Breaker
- Drive: Mainpower
- Testing to Ensure Safety: WEL Networks
- Hardware Build: Connetics
- Teamwork: Mainpower
- Dismantle: Electrix
Line Mechanic Competition Winner
Mainpower Rangiora
Cable Jointer Competition Winner
Kirk McDonald
Mainpower Rangiora
Outstanding Leader in the 2018 Line Mechanic Competition
Paul Innes
Independent Line Services, Christchurch
Ross Archer Memorial Line Mechanic Safety Award
Connie Wallace
Netcon Timaru
2018 LINE MECHANIC TEAMS
- Connetics Ltd
- Electra
- Electrix
- Independent Line Services
- MainPower New Zealand Ltd
- Netcon Ltd Timaru
- PowerNet
- PowerNet Circuit
- PowerNet Breaker
- WEL Networks
2018 CABLE JOINTER COMPETITORS
- Broadspectrum
- Connectics
- Delta Utility Services
- EA Networks
- Electrix
- Independent Line Services
- MainPower New Zealand Ltd
- Netcon Ltd
- PowerNet
Cable Jointer competition
Line Mechanic competition
Line Mechanic competition
Suppliers Expo
It was great seeing so many suppliers at this years expo.
Thank you to all those who attended and we hope to see you again next year.
Sponsor of the 2018 suppliers Expo:
Excellence awards
The Excellence Awards celebrate the best and brightest trainees working in the Electricity Supply and Telecommunications industries. They also recognise those who have made a significant contribution to the industry through their enthusiasm and commitment to industry training.
Congratulations to our 2018 award winners
Overall Trainee of the Year
Joe Mills – Meridian Energy
Advanced Trainee of the Year
Elliot McKinnon
WEL Networks
Distribution Trainee of the Year
Luke Perkins
Electrix
Generation Trainee of the Year
Joe Mills
Meridian Energy
Telecommunications Trainee of the Year
Jonathon Welch
Downer
Investing in Youth Training and Development
Joseph Reti
PowerNet
Thank you to our 2018 sponsors!
TransNet
Premier sponsor of the Line Mechanic Competition
TE Connectivity
Premier sponsor of the Cable Jointer Competition
Orion
Premier Sponsor of the Excellence Awards