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GlasWeld Shines Bright Once Again in Windshield Repair Olympics

For two years straight, technicians using GlasWeld equipment have come out ahead and shown their winning skills in the Walt Gorman Memorial Windshield Repair Olympics (WRO). In 2010, Randy Olson from Chip Medic in Bend, Oregon took home the Gold Medal.

And this year’s Gold and Silver Medals went to José Manuel Llano of LuniaGlas in Gijon, Spain and Antonio Galvez of Walqaluna S.L. in Monzon, Huesco, Spain respectively.

GlasWeld is proud to be associated with the industry’s best windshield repair technicians, who also excel in professionalism and customer service. Our windshield repair kits are known and used around the world.

Congratulations to all who competed and who made this event exciting and fiercely competitive.

 

GlasWeld cheers on as first-time competitor Randy Olson wins Gold at the Windshield Repair Olympics!

The GlasWeld team just got home from a busy week exhibiting at the NACE (International Autobody Congress and Expo) Show in Las Vegas where we cheered on our very own local windshield repair technician Randy Olson of Chip Medic in Bend, Oregon. He competed in the 5th Annual Walt Gorman Memorial Windshield Repair Olympics being held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center October 11-12. It was Randy’s first windshield repair event and the competition was intense with the 2009 Silver and Bronze medalists back at it again vying for this year’s Gold medal.

Dennis Garbutt and I have known Randy for several years and had all the confidence in the world that he would represent us well. He is a retired captain with the Bend Fire Department, so we knew he could perform under pressure and keep his head in the game for all the details necessary to win such a competition. Randy said he was nervous before the event, but he seemed cool as a cucumber to the rest of us, the consummate professional.

The first day of competition entailed two heats of repairing a bulls-eye on the windshield of a car in less than 45 minutes. Randy was set to compete in the second heat, so we watched Heat 1 intently to see how the other competitors would perform. We watched the techniques of each of the windshield repair technicians and the interactions with their “customers.” Some used seat covers and floor mats to protect the vehicle, others even checked the air pressure in the tires and cleaned every window while the repairs were being done. The competitors placed a sign on the windshield when they had completed their repair. And after the judges and proctors had reviewed each performance and disappeared to tally up their scores, we had a chance to review each repair. They were all very impressive! I thought quietly to myself that Randy might have a chance at making the top three, but it was going to be difficult, especially since this was his first competition.

After the judges had returned, it was time for Heat 2 and Randy’s turn to shine. Randy grabbed his windshield repair kit and set up for his rock chip repair. When the clock started, he greeted the customer politely and carefully explained the process of windshield repair and what the customer can expect. He then began examining not only the chip in the windshield, but the entire vehicle with the customer to make sure that they were aware of any other damage to the vehicle before beginning the actual repair process. He then began repairing the windshield carefully evacuating all the air and moisture out of the break with his G3 ProVac Injector and then injected resin into the break while still under vacuum. Then he pulled out his ProCur UV curing lamp to cure the resin. I love how it looks like a UFO or a halo as it lights up and cures the resin in just 60 seconds. So cool! Randy finished off the repair and then presented it to his customer for final approval. Then began the long wait for the scores in the second heat.

At the end of the day, three finalists were announced for the final competition to be held on Day Two. We waited as each competitor was announced… Gregory Hamilton of Glasspro in Charleston, South Carolina (second place in last year’s Pilkington Classic Auto Glass Technician Olympics), Brandon Long of Novus Glass in Eaton Rapids, Michigan (Bronze medalist in the 2009 WRO), and first-time competitor Randy Olson of Chip Medic in Bend, Oregon was in first place. We were so excited! That night we took Randy out and had a great dinner at the House of Blues and watched the Vikings get beat by the Jets on Monday Night Football. It was a good time, with some great stories.

Day Two of the Windshield Repair Olympics competition began at 10:30am where each competitor was faced with a difficult star break with moisture in it and an unruly customer as well. Each competitor had to work with a skeptical customer who did not have a lot of time or even believe in the practice of glass repair. They each had one hour to complete this more difficult chip repair and customer experience. When each competitor had completed their windshield repairs, they were still visible from 10 feet away. They were all complete repairs, but the original damage must have been pretty substantial. Randy felt a little rattled after this heat. In his head, he reviewed his approach on the repair and with his customer and did not feel as solid as he did on the first day. Worst case, he would go home with the Bronze medal. Pretty darn good for his first national competition!

After the judges deliberated, the AGRR Magazine staff came back and made final preparations on the Powerpoint presentation to announce the final results and the awards. As they presented the Bronze medal to Gregory Hamilton of Glasspro, we knew Randy had at least a Silver medal finish. Then as they announced that the Silver medal would go to Brandon Long of Novus Glass, Randy bowed his head in disbelief and humility. The crowd cheered in support of Randy as the 2010 Gold medal winner of the Windshield Repair Olympics. The entire field of competitors was very skilled and professional in their craft. The auto glass repair industry would be proud to call any one of them a champion, but knowing Randy personally and professionally, it couldn’t have happened to a better man.

Congratulations to Randy and Chip Medic in little old Bend, Oregon! You are the “World’s Best Repair Technician.”

 

GlassBYTEs and AGRR Magazine’s Coverage of the 5th Annual Walt Gorman Windshield Repair Olympics