8TH ANNUAL ELITE TRADES CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES TO AIR ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK IN DECEMBER
Broadcast Highlights Skilled Trades as the Nation's Top Electricians, Plumbers, HVAC and Auto Techs Compete for Their Share of Over $300,000 in Awards
SYCAMORE, Ill., Nov. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Intersport and IDEAL® INDUSTRIES, INC. announced that the 8th annual IDEAL® Elite Trades Championship Series will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network on Fridays throughout December, highlighting the skills and craftsmanship of the nation's top tradespeople. This year's championship finals featured intense competitions across the electrical, HVAC, automotive and plumbing trades.
With a spotlight on both trades professionals and apprentices, the month-long broadcast series will highlight the importance of critical trades and underscores the importance of nurturing new talent in these imperative fields. Each event will air at 7 p.m. CST on CBS Sports Network's Friday night line-up on the following dates:
- December 8: IDEAL Electrical Championship (7p.m. CST)
- December 15: ServiceTitan HVAC National Championship (7p.m. CST)
- December 22: U.S. Auto Tech National Championship Driven by Yokohama (7p.m. CST)
- December 29: inaugural Plumbing National Championship (6pm CST)
"The skilled trades are the backbone of our infrastructure, and the Elite Trades Championship Series aims to shine a light on the exceptional talent of these dedicated professionals," said ETCS General Manager Scott Mendel. "We look forward to highlighting the importance and achievements of this year's finalists with communities nationwide on CBS Sports Network this December."
The top three finalists of each field shared a prize pool of more than $300,000 in cash and sponsor-provided awards. Finalists were culled from a rigorous series of qualifying events over several months before dueling head-to-head in a custom-built arena that challenges and honors their vital skills. Below are the 2023 winners from the October 26-28 competitions at the Tampa Convention Center, highlighted by Craig Childress who won in both HVAC and plumbing.
"I don't think anything's really sunk in yet. This has been an unbelievable experience," said Childress on securing multiple titles. "It's a wonderful accomplishment to be able to be the first person to compete in and win two competitions. Means the world to me. I've put a lot of time into the trades, but something like this—to be able to give back and show the future generations of tradesmen and women coming up—is important."
Competition |
1st place |
2nd place |
3rd place |
IDEAL Electrical Championship |
Jose Renteria (Elk River, MN) |
Dino Gualandri (La Salle, IL) |
Devin Slifer (Greenup, KY) |
ServiceTitan HVAC National Championship (professional) |
Craig Childress (Peabody, MA) |
Dagner Espinosa (Tampa, FL) |
Lee Morris Jr. (Charleston, SC) |
HVAC (apprentice) |
Patrick Boldt (Leipsic, OH) |
Johnathon Helms (Portville, NY) |
Billy Dahmen (Niles, MI) |
U.S. Auto Tech National Championship Driven by Yokohama (professional) |
David Borer (New Riegel, OH) |
Bill Woods (Delta, PA) |
Andy Buehler (Sidney, OH) |
Auto Tech (student) |
Yanick Tanguay (Lima, OH) |
Randy Giroux (Lima, OH) |
Grant Disser |
Plumbing National Championship |
Craig Childress (Peabody, MA) |
David Shanor (Fairfax, VA) |
Joe Jaspers (Cincinnati, OH) |
In addition to the prize packages, sponsors also provided products and software used in the competition. For instance, all four competitions featured ladders from Little Giant Ladders. The Auto Tech portion saw finalists use Challenger Lift portable mid-rise car lifts, AutoZone's ALLDATA OEM repair information software, Yokohama tires and parts from Wagner, MOOG, Monroe and Champion. Plumbing finalists used fittings courtesy of Sharkbite. HVAC competitors used Flex power tools, ServiceTitan software, Johnstone Supply material and tools, RLS fittings and Trane and American Standard condensers, coils, CleanEffects filters and furnaces. For the electrical competitions, Cerrowire service and feeder conductors and branch circuits were used. Service installation also used IDEAL hand tools and electrical supplies and Siemens exterior load center and meter.
About Intersport
Intersport is an award-winning agency and leader in the creation of ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. Its industry-leading team offers expert insights in content marketing, customer engagement, experiential marketing, hospitality, production and sponsorship consulting. The Chicago-based agency also owns and operates events across the professional and collegiate sports landscape, including basketball, football, golf, pickleball and volleyball. The Elite Trades Championship Series is one of the flagship platforms developed by Intersport to recognize and elevate various trades across the nation. Intersport has been headquartered in Chicago since its inception in 1985, with additional offices in Boston, Detroit and New York. Learn more at www.intersport.global and on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook).
About IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC.
IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. is a global, diversified family-owned business designing and manufacturing superior products for the electrical, lighting and infrastructure industries. The 105-year-old company was founded in 1916 to forge ideal relationships with customers, employees, partners and communities. The company has consistently grown and expanded under five generations of family ownership. For more information, visit www.idealindustries.com.
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