Kia (000270.KS) held the "12th Kia Skill World Cup" from the 19th to the 21st at the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul and Kia's Osan Training Center, the company said Thursday.
The Skill World Cup is a global automotive service skills competition that Kia hosts to identify outstanding overseas technicians and enhance service expertise. It has been held biennially since its inaugural edition in 2002.
This year's Skill World Cup brought together 42 representative technicians from 40 countries, all selected through national qualifying rounds. They competed in service expertise through a written exam on service theory and a practical exam involving comprehensive vehicle and component assessments.
Notably, this edition introduced new EV-related evaluation categories and expanded the range of vehicle models used in the practical assessment, aiming to strengthen technical competitiveness in line with the electrification era.
Tom Sharples of the United Kingdom won the gold prize with a total score of 708 points. Guo Wenlei of China and Aaron Addison of the United States took silver, while Jorian van Haarten of the Netherlands, Max Umbs of the United States, and Maciej Podlecki of Poland each received bronze.
Winners received trophies and medals along with cash prizes of $5,000 for gold, $3,000 for silver, and $2,000 for bronze. In addition, six recipients of the merit award received plaques and cash prizes of $500 each.
"Through this Skill World Cup, we will continue to strengthen service capabilities suited to the electrification era and strive to provide customers with an enhanced service experience," a Kia official said.
