LANGLEY, B. C. –Despite the unfortunate cancellation of this year’s National Professional Truck Driving Championships, several provincial competitions went ahead as planned.

Manitoba

Manitoba drivers braved wet conditions to compete in the provincial championships on June 27. A total of 39 drivers squared off in six different categories. Winners were: Garth Deschamps, Canadian Freightways, step van; Gene Wertepny, TST Overland Express, straight truck; Brian Hrabarchuk, Con-Way Freight Canada, single-single; Frank Klassen, Penner International, single-tandem; Ed Eagle, Canada Safeway, tandem-tandem; and Ken Wiebe, EBD Enterprises, Super-B. Top Team honours went to TST Overland Express and Eagle was named Grand Champion.

Alberta

In Alberta, drivers turned out at the Westerner Park in Red Deer to go head to head in the province’s truck roadeo. Winners were:Randy Smith, Canadian Freightways, step van; David Bulechowsky, City of Calgary, straight truck; Patrick Thorne, Canadian Freightways, single- single; Timothy Bingley, Sokil Express, single-tandem; Dirk Reid, Bison Transport, tandem-tandem; Steve Calhoun, Canadian Freightways, B-Train. Bulechowsky was named Grand Champion and the Team Award went to Canadian Freightways.

B. C.

Forty-nine of B. C.’s top drivers competed in that province’s competition on June 27 at the Tradex Centre in Abbotsford. Winners were: Robert Mullen, Canadian Freightways, step van; Hans Wettstein, Canadian Freightways, straight truck; Jack Newton, Canadian Freightways, single-single; Edward Rolston, Van Kam Freightways, single-tandem; Dean Grant, Agrifoods International Coop, tandem-tandem; and David Lighton, Air Liquide, B-Train. The Team Award went to -you guessed it -Canadian Freightways. Grant was named Grand Champion. •