The Unimog U 319 at the World Snowplough Championship.
While skiers were thrill-seeking down the slopes of the Savoie, the best of the best were battling it out over millimetres and seconds. In Chambéry, France, the world winter service elite came together for the 5th Snowplough World Championship, including four top teams from Germany - and the Unimog.
The very best in winter service.
Winter service is more than just shovelling snow out the way: when the SavoiExpo in Chambéry opens its gates, it becomes a precision art. Part of the 17th World Congress on Winter Service and Road Resilience, this competition is the highlight for drivers of the World Road Association.
Nerves of steel.
The World Cup course shows who can really handle the Unimog. Here, the vehicles that make our streets and motorways safe are subjected to the hardest test out there. One look at the obstacles reveals just how tough the competition is: station no. 15, the “narrow passage”, in particular, demands a high level of driving skill.
It's much harder than it sounds: drivers go down a narrow alley lined with poles on which loose tennis balls balance. The challenge? Don't knock any of the balls over! Every ball lost results in 30 penalty points, and stopping results in 40 points. This task reveals who has intuitively internalised the dimensions of their vehicle and can master the challenge with precision and skill.
The course continues with the "ring grab". The name says it all: here, the drivers have to fish a moving steel ring hanging from a scaffolding with a rod attached to the top of the snowplough. Stopping is expensive here, and reversing is forbidden, so maximum dexterity is required.
A compact power pack.
A Unimog U 319 drives on Course A. This compact implement carrier is known for its extreme manoeuvrability and short wheelbase of only 3,080 mm. Equipped with a 3.40 m-wide front plough made by Metal Pless, drivers have to prove that they can steer the vehicle with the utmost precision even with unfamiliar attachments.
Four German teams. One goal.
The German contingent in the competition was very strong: in particular, all eyes were on Michael Wilhelmi and Lukas Kniesner from Hessen Mobil as the reigning champions from Germany. The two know exactly how to perform under pressure. But competition was tough - especially from Germany.
Two other top-class teams from Rhineland-Palatinate took part in the competition: the Bingen road maintenance department (Mainz-Bingen district) and the Emmelshausen motorway maintenance department (Rhine-Hunsrück district). There was also a women's team from Germany with their eyes on the prize. But they all have one thing in common: a wealth of experience of real winter service operations.
The spirit of Chambéry.
As tough as the competition may be, the spirit of Chambéry is about more than just winning: it's about teamwork and passion for driving skill and technology.
For the drivers, the event was a valuable challenge and opportunity to share experiences with other colleagues, and has left them with many wonderful memories. But now, the focus is already on the future: the fantastic experience enjoyed by all in France will be the perfect motivator at the qualifications for the upcoming German Championships.
The Unimog at the fourth Snowplough Championship.
This year Bojan Križman from Slovenia claimed the title. Loïc Bonzi from France secured second place, while Stanislaw Kasperek from Poland took third place. But even though not all drivers were able to win the Championship, in the end, they are all winners through their commitment to our safety.
