Scania Crowns their 2015 Young European Truck Driver Champion

The Scania Young European Truck Driver (YETD) Championship has always held a special place in our hearts, in fact we used to sponsor the annual event in partnership with Commercial Motor magazine and the Road Haulage Association. Another year means another event, and whilst we aren’t sponsoring the championship this time round, we’re keen to share news of the latest young hopefuls competing for the crown and the driver that subsequently took the title for 2015.

More about the YETD Championship

Competition is tough when it comes to being crowned Europe’s best truck driver, and with more than 20,000 individuals taking part this year, narrowing the candidates down to the final 26 was a difficult task. Held in the headquarters of the Scania Group, a leading automotive industry manufacturer of commercial vehicles, thousands flocked to Södertälje, Sweden, to see the 2015 finalists in action earlier this year and enjoy a range of exciting activities including performances from Cirkus Cirkör, seminars on bus and truck building, fun park attractions and on-site exhibitions.

The championship itself is the largest competition for drivers of heavy vehicles around the world, and to date more than 100,000 drivers and wannabe champions have competed to take the title. The 2015 event was the seventh edition of the competition, and as with the years before, the contest aims to recognise and celebrate the skilful young drivers currently taking the sector by storm with their passion for good operating economy, improved traffic safety and reduced environmental impact.

And the winner is…

With competition more fierce than ever, some 26 finalists competed for the coveted titles and the bevy of amazing prizes. The winner of this year’s competition was set to receive 100,000 euros towards the purchase of a new Scania truck along with one year’s free vehicle insurance. For second place, the runner-up would receive a VIP 24 hour racing experience for two at Le Mans, with flight tickets, accommodation, helicopter tour and VIP access all included. Third prize was a hot air balloon tour of Münsterland in Germany as part of a weekend for two.

This year’s competition saw Lars Søndergård from Denmark crowned Young European Truck Driver Champion. The UK had its own champion though, with Lancashire based Chris Brooker-Carey announced as Scania’s Young UK Truck Driver of 2015, a title that saw him secure his place in the final but unfortunately just miss out on the coveted prize.