FORT PIERCE – Clay Electric lineworkers won first place in the crossarm change out event at the annual Florida Lineman Competition last weekend, beating competitors from across the state.

The team, consisting of David Poncher, Lee Lambert and Joel Baker, took third place overall in the Journeyman Team Competition.

Clay’s apprentice lineworkers, Craig Smith and Gaige Griffis, also did well. Smith took second place overall and Griffis placed fourth. Smith took home two other trophies, one for placing second in the hurtman rescue and one for placing third in the running angle poly bell change out event.

The annual competition brings electric lineworkers from all over the state together to demonstrate their skill and knowledge in the craft of line work. Competitors took on various challenges, such as replacing crossarms and insulators on utility poles, changing out transformers and completing a simulation of rescuing injured lineworkers. Competitors earned points for completing the tasks as quickly as possible and lost points if safety standards and proper work practices were not followed. Journeyman teams, which include at least one lineworker who has been in the industry for five years or more, are made up of three lineworkers. Apprentices compete individually.

Six apprentice Clay Electric lineworkers and one journeyman team took part in the competition. In all, 20 journeyman linemen teams – totaling 65 journeyman competitors, 72 apprentices and 43 judges from 11 utilities participated.