Darin Wiebe of Alberta, Canada-based Extreme Concrete took the top prize in Wacker Neuson’s trowel challenge competition at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas.

More than 150 trowel operators participated in this year’s Wacker Neuson trowel challenge competition at the World of Concrete. The winning operator was Darin Wiebe of Extreme Concrete, Linden, Alberta, Canada. His combined winning time was 67.429 seconds.

Wiebe came into the finals in second place with a qualifying time of 34.312, and his final run time was 33.116 seconds in a friendly competition between him and his partner at Extreme, Jon Baerg, who led going into the finals and ended up in second with a final run time of 67.637 seconds.

The top prize was a customized CRT 48-35VX ride-on trowel powered by a special Vanguard Big Block V-twin engine and an all-expense paid trip for two to the Caribbean. Second place prize winner Baerg went home with a CT 36, 36-inch walk-behind trowel. Third-place finisher was Bruce Gesick from Slater and Son Concrete, Chico, Calif. Gesick finished with a combined time of 70.220 and went home with a BTS 635s portable cut-off saw.

The course was run on a 30-foot by 80-foot slab that measured at a floor flatness of FF-152.

Thousands of World of Concrete spectators watched the challenge throughout the three days and toured Wacker Neuson’s exhibit that showcased a complete line of concrete and construction products.

Wacker Neuson is based in Menomonee Falls, Wis.

Wacker Neuson awarded prizes to the top three finishers in the 2012 Trowel Challenge. From left, Bruce Gesick from Slater and Son Concrete, Chico, Calif., who took third place; Wiebe, the first-place winner; and Jon Baerg, from Alberta’s Extreme Concrete, who took second place.