The Ultimit Women, with Kaarin Gaukrodger, left, are the first women's only team in the competition. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
The atmosphere in the Horowhenua town of Levin is highly charged as New Zealand's top electricity supply workers spark up for industry bragging rights.
They are showing off their skills at the Annual Connection competition at the town's showgrounds - and for the first time, a team of women is taking part.
The Ultimit Women team, drawing on females from throughout New Zealand, entered in the line mechanics' competition.
Laisa Pickering says no two days are the same in the electricity supply industry. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
It is managed by Laisa Pickering, a live line mechanic who has spent nine years in the industry with Electrix in Auckland.
"The main focus for our team really is inspiring the mums and the daughters that are coming along to watch their dads, and then they see a bunch of women doing the same thing."
The three-day event - the first since the pandemic - shows what electricity supply workers do every day, from erecting power poles to first aid and pole-top rescues.
Annual Connection competition's line mechanic teams were digging Earth banks for equipment. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
At the end, tallies from each division, line mechanics and cable jointers, are combined and winners declared.
For Pickering and her team, it is also about highlighting that women can do it too.
"We're still in this mindset that, 'It's a bit hard for girls to be digging holes and stuff like that', but at the end of the day we're here to showcase that we are capable of doing this job," Pickering said.
"A lot of it is just understanding that we have skills that are transferrable."
In their rotation, Ultimit Women were the first team to put up their pole.
As the sun shone, it was hot work.
"It was bloody beauty. Reminded us of home," said Dion Adams from Taumarunui, who is with the Lines Company team.
Dion Adams says the hot sunny conditions are just like at home in Taumarunui. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
He found big "hāngī rocks" in the ground, but the team was used to that from working in volcanic country.
And the competitors know about hard work.
Steve Lovejoy, a four-decade industry veteran, is managing Electra teams from Levin and the Kāpiti Coast.
Steve Lovejoy's ute was damaged in the Levin tornado of May. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
He was caught by the freak weather that hit Levin in May.
"I got hit my a tree in the tornado. It was actually the ute that got damaged. I didn't realise what was happening at the time because it was just coming through," Lovejoy said.
"Once I got out of that and got to work, I realised what had happened, and that's when the work started."
Every move the crews make is watched by an eagle-eyed team of judges headed by Rick Johnson.
Annual Connection competition teams put up power poles. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
On Tuesday, they were assessing poles that went up.
"The judges give [teams] a specifications sheet. The pole's got to be in the right depth in the ground. It's got to be square on," Johnson said.
"It's also more about how they actually use the cranes when they're lifting, how they set it up [and] all the health and safety requirements."
Kaarin Gaukrodger is the director of Connexis, the infrastructure division of Te Pūkenga, the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology.
It looks after apprentices for the electricity supply industry and is behind the women's team.
"I suppose everyone remembers the ads on TV, the linesman in the county sort of ads, but it's about diversity now," Gaukrodger said.
"What women bring, it's not better but different. They bring in some really good attention to detail, great communication, really good at following direction. They're not as inclined to take as many risks as men," she said.
"This is the industry that keeps us connected so we can turn on our hot water and turn on our lights and have power, and ensure that you can go to work in the morning after a huge storm.
"We're safe inside while they're out reconnecting the power in all sorts of weather."
The 2019 champions were Unison Contracting Service from Hawke's Bay in the line mechanic section, and Paul Barclay of PowerNet in the cable jointer section.
