Game of Cranes: Liebherr Crowns the World’s Best Mobile Crane Operator

30-Second Takeaway

Liebherr has crowned Scott White of City Lifting (UK) as the world’s best mobile crane operator following the international Game of Cranes final in Ehingen, Germany. Five finalists from across the globe competed in demanding technical and practical challenges testing precision, safety, and crane operation expertise.

At the end of November, Liebherr hosted the international final of the Game of Cranes at its headquarters in Ehingen, Germany, bringing together the five best mobile crane operators in the world.

Finalists from North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Africa / Middle East / Asia competed head-to-head across five demanding disciplines, each designed to test precision, technical understanding, responsibility, and composure under pressure.

Five Disciplines, One Champion

Over the course of two intense competition days, the finalists rotated through a combination of practical and theoretical challenges, all evaluated by a strict jury.

Tasks included:

• Calculating load capacities and rigging conditions

• Configuring cranes and planning transport moves

• Attaching concrete buckets and blocks to an indoor training crane

• Manoeuvring a container through obstacles while protecting fragile structures inside

Outside, operators were required to guide a container holding pylons and a pyramid of cups around obstacles without disturbance, a test of smooth control and spatial awareness.

Precision Under Pressure

Additional stages pushed the operators’ technical skills even further.

“At the next stages, the finalists calculated the wind load on a steel plate and lifted it over an obstacle using a single hook before pouring a bottle precisely into a beer glass using two hooks,” explained Michaela Gogeißl, Sales Manager Customer Training at Liebherr.

The final two challenges demanded absolute concentration:

• Guiding a 5-tonne load through an S-shaped course using simultaneous lifting, luffing, and slewing movements

• Completing the infamous ‘hot wire’ challenge, where operators had to guide a slewing ring over a pipe construction using two hooks without making contact

Scott White Takes the Throne

After two days of competition, Scott White, representing City Lifting (United Kingdom), emerged victorious with 898 points, earning the title of World Crane Champion.

“It was a fantastic competition and great fun – I’m over the moon that I did it!” said White.“The S-course was the biggest challenge, the hot wire was the best station.”

White has already been invited to return to defend his title in 2027.

Final Standings

• 1st place:Scott White City Lifting (UK) 898 points

• 2nd place:Joey Fisher Johnson & Young Cranes (Australia) 861 points

“It was incredible, just amazing! I was pretty nervous there were so many people watching.”

• 3rd place:Kirk Smith Titan Cranes (New Zealand) 811 points

“A very challenging competition and a great experience. The sportsmanship was incredible.”

• 4th place:Nick Jackman  Mountain Crane Service (USA) 756 points

“Perfectly organised. Celebrating Thanksgiving at the Liebherr plant in Ehingen made it even more special.”

• 5th place:Leonardo Navarro –WWN Guindastes (Brazil) 690 points

“All stages required a lot of knowledge and skill. Operating the LR 13000 during crane acceptance was unforgettable.”

Excellence on Display

Liebherr received around 200 applications from mobile crane operators worldwide for the Game of Cranes.

“The performances we saw in the final were impressive,” said Christoph Behmüller, Head of Training and Development at Liebherr in Ehingen.

“All participants demonstrated how demanding and professional crane operation is today.”

Crane Hub Perspective

Crane Hub Global has followed the Game of Cranes from launch to final, and the competition has delivered a powerful message: modern mobile crane operation is a highly skilled profession defined by precision, responsibility, and technical mastery.

As the industry continues to push boundaries in capacity, automation, and safety, the Game of Cranes has set a new benchmark for recognising the people behind the controls.

Crane Hub will continue to track future editions of the competition including the next world final in 2027.