Norio Miyajima forges his legacy as 2025 Caterpillar Global Operator Challenge Asia Pacific Champion

Held at Chichibu D-Tech Center in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, the Global Operator Challenge (GOC) saw 19 elite operators across Asia Pacific compete in three Cat® machine challenges. The top three winners, representing the Asia Pacific, advance to the final round of the competition, which will be held during CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas in March 2026.

Highlights

  • Operator Norio Miyajima from Japan won first place

  • Operator Shane Poole from Australia finished first runner-up

  • Operator Timothy Lamb from Australia was the second runner-up

  • All three will advance to the final round of the Global Operator Challenge during CONEXPO-CON/AGG in March 2026 

of

IRVING, Texas, November 4, 2025―The best machine operators across the Asia Pacific region gathered in Chichibu, Japan to forge their legacy and prove their mastery of both equipment and technology. The 19 competitors first had to qualify at local Cat® dealer competitions to reach the regional round. The regional finalists competed over two days, operating Cat equipment and technology. The three winners will now advance to the final round to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada during CONEXPO-CON/AGG, March 3, 2026, inside Caterpillar’s 70,000 ft2 outdoor exhibit in the Festival Lot.

Norio Miyajima with Tanaka Industry Co., Ltd., representing Nippon Caterpillar in Japan, was crowned the Asia Pacific GOC champion. Miyajima finished the three events with the best score, which is a combination of time and penalties.
 

Event highlights 

The Big Dig Challenge saw competitors put their accuracy, control and speed to the test by using a Cat 320 excavator to dig a trench using 3D GRADE technology with a defined depth and length. This was followed by using the bucket to score soccer balls into a stacked tyre column. 

The Load & Go Challenge showcased the operators’ agility and adaptability as they navigated through a defined slalom course with a Cat 938 small wheel loader. Operators filled the bucket with aggregate and traversed a difficult course to dump it into a Cat 725 articulated truck. They returned to the pile in reverse and filled the bucket again to achieve a total target load of 8,000 kg. The final test continued where operators had to knock basketballs off safety cones to make the finish. 

The final challenge, Precision Tractor, tested the operators’ versatility and precision by operating a Cat D4 dozer to maneuver through a difficult course using the key features of the machine without touching any obstacles. The operators started by moving a ball through a drum obstacle course, then sliding a pipe along a rope using the dozer’s blade. They finished by spreading a pile of dirt to grade before parking the machine safely. This challenge was a tribute commemorating a century of earthmoving excellence.
 

Challenge winners

  • The Big Dig Challenge winner – Timothy Lamb with Daracon Group representing dealer WesTrac NSW, Australia

  • The Load & Go Challenge winner - Norio Miyajima with Tanaka Industry Co., Ltd., representing dealer Nippon Caterpillar, Japan

  • The Precision Tractor winner - Shane Poole with Diamond Excavators representing dealer Hastings Deering, Australia

All of the regional GOC finals (Americas, EAME and Asia Pacific) have now concluded, and the nine finalists will now advance to compete for the title of Global Champion next year at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas.

For more information about the Global Operator Challenge, visit www.cat.com/operatorchallenge.

of

Operator Norio Miyajima from Japan won first place

View Full Size Image
of

Operator Shane Poole from Australia finished first runner-up.

View Full Size Image
of

Operator Timothy Lamb from Australia was the second runner-up.

View Full Size Image
of

Cat® 320 Excavator in the Big Dig Challenge.

View Full Size Image
of

Cat® 938 Small Wheel Loader in Load & Go Challenge.

View Full Size Image
of

Cat® D4 Dozer in Precision Tractor Challenge.

View Full Size Image
of

L-R: Timothy Lamb, Norio Miyajima, Shane Poole.

View Full Size Image

 

 

Download the Press Release

Download Now

Download the Images 

Download Now

 

 

# # #

 

About Caterpillar:

With 2024 sales and revenues of $64.8 billion, Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For 100 years, we’ve been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed. Caterpillar does business on every continent, principally operating through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and providing financing and related services through our Financial Products segment. Visit us at caterpillar.com or join the conversation on our social media channels at caterpillar.com/en/news/social-media.html.

Caterpillar rolls out products and services in each of its regions at different time intervals. Although every effort is made to ensure that product information is released only after Caterpillar has received confirmation from its independent dealer network, plants, and marketing subsidiaries that products and services are available in the relevant region, editors are kindly requested to verify with a Cat dealer for product availability and specifications.

CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow,” the “Power Edge” and Cat “Modern Hex” trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

VisionLink is a trademark of Caterpillar Inc., registered in the United States and in other countries.

 

 

Press Inquiries:

Johanna Kelly
Caterpillar Trade Press Media Representative
Kelly_Johanna_L@cat.com
 
Release Number: 232PR25 — November 2025
For Release: Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand



Global Operator Challenge

A legendary competition for operators to make their mark on the industry by putting their talents to the ultimate test.

Learn More
Motor Graders
Motor Graders

The Latest Product News

Get the Latest Stories Sent Directly to Your Inbox.

Subscribe Now

 

warning

Internet Explorer users may experience issues with certain features of our site.
Please try a current version of an alternate browser (i.e. Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox) for the full Cat.com experience.