Six Ridgewater Students and Alum Place at Welding Contest
April 3, 2024
Amidst competition from both Minnesota and Wisconsin, three Ridgewater College Welding students and three alumni earned top-three honors in the annual Behind the Mask collegiate and industry welding competition on in late February at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, WI.
Sixteen Ridgewater students from the Hutchinson campus were among the approximately 100 competitors from across the two states competing in various welding skills tests, including shielded stick welding, tungsten, and gas metal welding.
Warrior Cody Simon of Cologne brought home championship bragging rights in the Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) division. Lexi Karnes of Howard Lake wasn’t far behind with her second-place finish. Gibson Kerkvliet of Lester Prairie took second in Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW).
“Our students have the ability to look at a blueprint, and not get nervous, and do quality welds and do them on time,” said John Travis, one of Ridgewater’s Welding instructors.
Travis added that this competition, which is sponsored by the American Welding Society – Northwest Section, is great preparation for welders to compete in SkillsUSA in April.
In the industry competition, Ridgewater alumni excelled as well. Caleb Streich of Cokato took third in OxyFuel cutting. Instructor Jason Eastling (Annandale) took first in OxyFuel cutting and third in GMAW, GTAW and Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW). Former Ridgewater student and instructor Jeremy Hall of Butterfield took first in GMA and second in GTAW and SMAW.
For information about the Ridgewater Welding program, go to www.ridgewater.edu/welding.
