CANADIAN MECHANIC WINS YAMAHA WORLD TECH GP IN JAPAN
For the first time ever, a Canadian representative was crowned champion at the Yamaha World Technician Grand Prix, held at Yamaha Motor Corporation’s headquarters in Iwata, Japan on October 17.
Brett Hart, a master technician at Blackfoot Motorsports (Calgary, AB), earned the prestigious title at the 8th running of the World Tech GP. You can read about the Canadian win here. Hart earned his spot in the world finals by winning the Canadian qualifier, held at Yamaha Motor Canada’s Toronto offices in July. Hart had previously been a three-time Canadian finalist before breaking through with his first win this year.
“Words cannot describe the way I feel,” said Hart after the event. “It’s surreal, a dream come true. I have been treated like a celebrity by Yamaha staff, and all the competitors act like I’m a rock star. It’s unlike anything I have experienced before.”
Similar to the Canadian competition, the day-long WTGP included both technical and customer service labs, providing an extra level of challenge for staff who spend most of their time wrenching behind the scenes rather than interacting with customers. Hart admitted to overthinking during the technical lab, putting his hopes at risk. “I was second guessing myself instead of trusting my training,” the Calgary native explained, “but I was able to get past it and quickly made up points.”
Hart bested 21 competitors representing 19 countries and regions, finishing ahead of second-place Darren Stout of Australia and third-place Alan Simmonds in the Sports Model class. There are an estimated 34,000 Yamaha Technical Academy-certified technicians across the globe, making Hart’s achievement all the more stunning.
“I think this shows that Yamaha Motor Canada takes service very seriously and should be respected on a global level,” Hart summarized. “It shows we care for our customers and have the skills to keep them safe and happy on the roads.”
Held every two years, the Yamaha Technician Grand Prix is organized as part of Yamaha Motor Corporation Ltd.’s global service education plan. The goal of the Yamaha Tech GP is to raise awareness and increase competency of
Yamaha’s technicians.
Thanks for Reading
If you don’t already subscribe to Motorcycle Mojo we ask that you seriously think about it. We are Canada’s last mainstream motorcycle magazine that continuously provides a print and digital issue on a regular basis.
We offer exclusive content created by riders, for riders.
Our editorial staff consists of experienced industry veterans that produce trusted and respected coverage for readers from every walk of life.
Motorcycle Mojo Magazine is an award winning publication that provides premium content guaranteed to be of interest to every motorcycle enthusiast. Whether you prefer cruisers or adventure-touring, vintage or the latest models; riding round the world or just to work, Motorcycle Mojo covers every aspect of the motorcycle experience. Each issue of Motorcycle Mojo contains tests of new models, feature travel stories, compelling human interest articles, technical exposés, product reviews, as well as unique perspectives by regular columnists on safety or just everyday situations that may be stressful at the time but turn into fabulous campfire stories.
Thanks for considering a subscription. The Mojo team truly appreciates it.
