Date of Event: 05/04/2024
Location: Rochester Arc + Flame
Number of Attendees: 80
Presenter/Notable Guest(s): Mike Krupnicki – AWS President
Ryan Eubank – Guest Judge – Program Coordinator at Lakeland College and Welding Instructor for Welding Educators
Padraic Bean – Guest Judge – Weld Process Consultant for The Lincoln Electric Company
Event Summary: The first annual AWS “Thruway Cup” Welding Competition was held on May 4th at AWS President Mike Krupnicki’s welding school, Arc+ Flame Center-Rochester.
16 students from the AWS District 6 sections of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany won their local section welding competitions to qualify for the Thruway Cup. Competitors were tested on individual performance for GMAW, SMAW, GTAW and Academic for the Individual Titles and prizes. All sections scores contributed to the overall section team winner.
Section leaders from each of the sections worked together with the incredible team from Arc+Flame Center to create a competition that would challenge and test the best of the best for District 6. This was not an easy competition; students were pushed pasted their comfort levels and tested at a professional level.
AWS Rochester Section took 1st overall, securing the Thruway Cup Trophy for the next 12 months, until the 2025 Thruway Cup Competition when they will need to defend their title or hand over the trophy to that year’s winner.
Thank you to our volunteers, corporate sponsors, guest speakers and guest judges, we could not have done it without you.
