February 11, 2009 9:44 AM CST

Robertson Repeats as Fastest Trowel Champion

Pascal Robertson wins the Fastest Trowel on the Block Competition for the second straight year

By Tim O’Toole

Masons and their tenders were highlighted at the 2009 MCAA Convention in Las Vegas, Nev. at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry on February 5, 2009. The annual Fastest Trowel on the Block Competition drew a big audience to catch the action and see who would win the $7,000 grand prize. Contestants from across the country came to compete against each other to build the biggest and best block wall.

The Fastest Trowel showcases the skill of the industry's masons and how important teamwork is in accomplishing a final product. The competition pitted the masons against one another in a show of both speed and craftsmanship. Each contestant's goal is to complete as much of an 18-block-long wall as possible. With the 20-minute time limit that is placed on the contestants, they must make split-second decisions based on the judging criteria.

The contest was one of the best ever, as each mason worked quickly to build a quality wall while the crowd cheered them on through the twenty minute competition. After the judges completed their scoring, the results were announced.

The top-placing contestants in this year's competition were:

First Place

Pascal Robertson
Robertson Masonry
Sorrento, FL
Tenders: Tyler Robertson, Jesse Fullen

Second Place

Ray Robinson
J.A.M. Construction, Inc.
Gainesville, FL
Tenders: Lynette Darby, James Allen

Third Place

Kriston B. Chee
Maverick Masonry, Inc.
Glendale, AZ
Tenders: Enrique Esparza, Gilberto Palacios Aguero

Winners were presented with trophies, plus first place took home $7,000, a BX-4 saw from MK Diamond Products, Inc. and a plaque from Marshalltown, second place received $2,500, and $1,000 was awarded to third place. All contestants received a Marshalltown tool bag, a level from Crick Tool, a Grout Grunt and additional prizes from Mortar Net and QUIKRETE.

Pascal Robertson also won the national Fastest Trowel on the Block Competition in 2008 and was the winner of the 2008 Florida Regional Fastest Trowel Competition. Pascal has worked in the masonry industry for twenty-nine years. This was his ninth time competing in the national competition.

The Mason Contractors Association of America would like to thank the judges from across the country for donating their time and expertise:

• Mike Sutter (Head Judge), Sutter Masonry; El Mirage, Ariz.


• Shawn Belander, P and S Masonry, Inc.; Hamiton, Texas


• Calvin Brodie, Brodie Contractors, Inc.; Raleigh, N.C.


• Kerry Gagnon, K.M. Gagnon, Inc.; Claremont, N.H.


• Curtis Hoover, Center of Applied Technology; Stevensville, Md.


• Darrell McMillian, P.E., Masonry Institute of St. Louis; St. Louis, Mo.


• Doug Nichols, Doug Nichols Masonry, Inc.; St. Peters, Mo.


• Roy Swindal, Masonry Arts, Inc.; Bessemer, Ala.


• Jim Zuidema, Jimmy’Z Masonry Corp.; Crystal Lake, Ill.

and the sponsors and service/material donors for their contributions including:

Convention Partners

• Hydro Mobile, Inc.


• Mortar Net USA, Ltd.


• QUIKRETE

Competition Gold Sponsors

• EZ Scaffold


• Non-Stop Scaffolding


• SPEC MIX

Competition Donor Sponsors

• Tradesmen’s Software, Inc.


• South Atlantic Lintels

Material and Service Sponsors

• Angelus Block Co.


• Crick Tool


• EZ Grout Corporation


• GATORBACK


• Grout Grunt


• Marshalltown


• MK Diamond Products, Inc.


• Wasco, Inc.

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About the Author

Tim O’Toole is the Director of Marketing, Education, and Information Technology for the MCAA. He has a Masters in Business Administration from Webster University and has worked in the masonry industry since 2003.

The Fastest Trowel on the Block Competition, hosted by the MCAA, is a showcase of industry craftsmanship and a testament of both the speed and skill of our industry's workforce. For more information about the competition, please visit www.fastesttrowel.com.