Team GB Training Underway for November World Championship

TRAINING is now underway for the two young roofers selected in July to represent Great Britain at the international 29^th IFD World Championship for Young Roofers.

This week, Tyler Norris from Karl Terry Roofing Contractors and Joe Gallagher from IH Gallagher Roofing Ltd are receiving expert coaching from NFRC tech team, Bob Coutts and Matt Timby.

The two young roofers are training to complete the slating and tiling tasks specified by the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) on roofing rigs specially built by NFRC Vice-President Andy Rowlands at the Centre for Roofing Excellence (CoRE) in Hereford this week.

World Championship

The World Championship will be held in Innsbruck, Austria on 13-15 November 2024. The competition aims to raise the profile of roofing as a skilled craft, as well as offering competitors the chance to enhance their skills and learn from one another.

The IFD sets an exacting specification for the teams competing in the pitched roofing competition. Participants have to complete three large roofing rigs: one in clay tiles, a second in fibre cement (both with rooflights and other additions) and a third ‘freestyle’ slate rig featuring an ornamental pattern of the roofers’ choice.

The contest is known for its challenging time limits and judging rigour, with the expert judges scrutinising the roofers’ work for millimetre precision.

Tyler Norris said, “It’s a crazy amount to learn and do in the time but that’s what makes it a good competition. There are elements that we do day-to-day, like the battening and Velux rooflights but we need to remember what goes where and how elements lap each other on the specification.”

Joe Gallagher added, “It’s got to be millimetre perfect. The judges come round with their rulers at each stage of the competition measuring everything. We have to try to memorise all the cut dimensions for speed because it really is challenging to get everything done in the time.”

Coach Matt Timby said, “We’re at midway point in the training now. Currently, we’re focusing on technique and getting it right. After that the speed will come.”

European Specs

Mentor Bob Coutts explained that because the competition is specified using European materials, the GB team starts at something of a disadvantage.

Bob explained: “The European tiles are unfamiliar sizes in the UK, so we have to order them specially for practicing on. However, at the moment our materials are stuck in Customs, so we’re doing the best we can by adapting UK clay tiles and cutting them down for Joe and Tyler to train on.”

Joe said, “It’s all the same principle, just slightly different sizes. It’s only 10mm but it throws out all the measurements you’re trying to remember. It’ll be so much easier and faster next time when we’ve got the correct materials.” Tyler went on: “We are focusing on the patterns or sequences at the moment – and we’ve learnt so much with Bob and Matt. They suggest doing something just slightly differently and it can make all the difference to getting it right on the day.”

Tyler and Joe will complete 3 training sessions across 11 days with Bob and Matt (dubbed ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’ by their trainees), perfecting their teamwork and techniques. “We’re just each naturally taking the lead on different tasks. So for the clay tiles, I’ve been cutting while Joe’s been fixing, on other tasks we do it differently,” said Tyler. Joe added, “It’s interesting seeing the bigger build up they use in Europe, probably showing the way we’re going here in the future. Everything’s bigger on the rig and the valley is particularly challenging. It’s a trade-off between perfection and completion in the time; it’s definitely the hardest competition we’ll ever do.”

Joe, who has completed an apprenticeship at Bolton College, will also be competing at the national SkillBuild roofing competition the week after he returns from Austria on 20-21 November held at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.

The roofers appreciate the support and encouragement they’re getting not just from Andy, Ben, Bob and Matt, but from their employers and colleagues. Both are in contact with their local press and the recognition they’re getting is invaluable for their respective businesses. “It has a great effect to say you’re an award-winning company, it’s all good publicity,” says Joe.

The GB team training is being generously supported by the industry – including Glidevale Protect, Cedral, Velux, Wienerberger, SIG Roofing, Marley and Hambleside Danelaw.

>> Read more about the IFD World Championship in the news