Snows motor technician David Weston is preparing to represent the UK at the Kia Skill World Cup in South Korea this June.
He will be the only Brit among 60 contestants from over 40 countries tackling four days of intensive written and practical testing at the Osan Training Center in Seoul.
Weston, who works at Snows Kia Guildford, qualified for the World Cup after winning gold in this year’s Kia UK Skill Cup, held at the Kia Academy in Nottingham in February.
The self-confessed motor ‘junkie’ joined family-owned Snows in 2015, after 18 years with the same independent garage where he trained as an apprentice.
He said: “I’m still reeling a little from winning a place at the World Cup. When I heard I was going I was beyond ecstatic and pretty emotional.”
He added: “I never would have dreamed I would be doing things like this when I first started out as an apprentice. But since joining Snows I have been actively encouraged and supported to aim as high as possible – and I’ve really gone for it.
“I get a real buzz out of the practical tests, which usually involve locating seemingly impossible to trace faults.
“And it’s very likely there will be a surprise or two – in February at the UK Cup we had to build a seat heater from literally a bag of bits.
“But now I’ve got my head around the calibre of the people I will be up against I’m definitely going out there to win the title of the world’s top Kia technician.”
The Kia World Skill Cup is held biennially and competitors also enjoy a sightseeing tour of Seoul during the trip.
Weston said: “The US, being the largest retailers of Kia in the world, will be entering three or four technicians, so they are the ones to beat in this competition.
“And while there’s only one of me I still think I’m in with a chance.”
Leave A Comment