From left, Super Cycling Enterprise’s mechanic Diomedes Cogay, shop owner Jonard Tan together with Castrol Asia-Pacific Bikes Super Mechanic Contest 2018 Champions Team Philippines composed of Richard Manila, John Luke Ceniza, Georekey Cantabaco and Gabriel Hidalgo Jr. CDN PHOTO/Ray Charlie Diaz
CEBU-BASED Drake’s Motorcycle Parts won in the Regional Championship of the Castrol Asia Pacific Bikes Super Mechanic Contest 2018 at Bangkok, Thailand last November 16, 2018.
The champion team composed of Drake’s Motor Parts owner John Ceniza, head mechanic Julius Maranga, mechanics Georekey Cantabaco, and Gabriel Hidalgo Jr. defeated mechanics from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Team Vietnam finished the competition at second place while Team Malaysia clinched the third.
The top mechanics had to go through three stations to prove they are the best in the Asia Pacific.
Hidalgo admitted they were completely taken off guard during the competition, specifically in the actual troubleshooting of a motor engine.
“We felt intimated because we know that the other contestants also have good skills considering that they got into the championships. But we took that out of our thinking and just acted as if we are just working on our shop,” he said during Castrol Philippines’ meet-and-greet event at Seda Hotel Cebu in Cardinal Rosales Avenue, Cebu City.
For shop owner Ceniza, experience played a huge factor in the victory.
“All of us had the advantage because of the experience that we gained at our shop,” he said.
Head mechanic Maranga and motorcycle mechanic Hidalgo holds over five years of experience with the addition of their other mechanic Cantabaco, who has a nine-year experience.