Sparks Fly During Norfolk Naval Shipyard's Annual Battle of the Welders Competition
Photo By Daniel DeAngelis |
Nearly 50 NNSY welders took to the welding booths in the shop as part of the Battle of......read moreread more
Photo By Daniel DeAngelis | Nearly 50 NNSY welders took to the welding booths in the shop as part of the Battle of the Welders Competition, each completing a weld from three different categories: gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and shielded metal arc welding (SMAW). After a week-long competition, the winners were decided and received medals for their accomplishments. In addition, they will be representing America's Shipyard in a future Battle of the Welders: Shipyard Edition between the four public shipyards. see less
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Sparks Fly During Norfolk Naval Shipyard's Annual Battle of the Welders Competition
For three years running, welders within Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) have stepped up to the plate to showcase their skills in a unique competition originally developed by Code 926 Submarine Director Tracy Skinner. This year nearly 60 contestants stepped up to the plate, burning rods in a range of three categories to determine who’s the best of the best when it comes to welding at America’s Shipyard.
“The Battle of the Welders is an annual competition to showcase the true artistry of our craft – the best of the best artisans in each process,” said Code 926 Welding Superintendent Jeff Griffin. “We are showcasing the men and women behind the shield that do the work every day. It’s a healthy competition that makes for good morale within the team.”
The competition is split into three distinct categories: gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and shielded metal arc welding (SMAW). The contestants, ranging from apprentices to work leaders, choose their weld of choice between the three and work the weld to the specifications provided. Each weld then goes through a judging process until winners are decided for each category.
“It’s more than just a competition, it’s about the camaraderie,” said Skinner. “Battle of the Welders means a lot to me because it brings that spirit back to the forefront. It’s about welders coming together, enjoying what we do, learning from each other, and respecting the art of the trade. Welding is more than just work. It’s a craft and an art form. Every weld tells a story about the person behind the hood, it’s their patience, their skill, and their pride in the job.”
She continued, “Each of our welders here at NNSY who take on the challenge turn up the heat in the booths, showing off who they are with the work they do. This effort creates a space where people can showcase their talent, laugh together, talk a little trash in good fun, and remind ourselves why we fell in love with this trade in the first place. It builds morale, it builds respect for the craft, and it brings the shop together in a positive way. At the end of the day, it’s about celebrating welders, the experience, the skill, and the brotherhood and sisterhood that comes with this line of work.”
After a week-long battle of sparks flying in the welding booths along the waterfront, three welders were officially crowned the winners for 2026: Chance Wainwright for the GTAW category, Brian Rose for the GMAW category, and Marques Rider for the SMAW category. In addition to the medals they were presented in the shop, the three have been given a unique opportunity to take the challenge further than ever before.
“For a few months, we’ve been in talks with the other shipyards and NNSY threw down the gauntlet, ready to take this competition beyond our gates,” said Griffin. “For the first time ever, our Battle of the Welders competition will open up to the four public shipyards – each of us bringing our best to our Structural Community of Practice later this year.”
“It’s an honor to be able to represent our shipyard and our code,” said Rider. “Many of us would agree – we’re not in this to brag. We truly just want to showcase what we can do and represent our team the best way possible. We love what we do!”
Griffin says that he couldn’t be happier with his code and is impressed with everyone’s efforts daily – whether it be in their annual Battle of the Welders competition or serving the Nation’s fleet one weld at a time. “From our first-year apprentices to my directors - the talent, quality, and overall performance of the code,” he said. “I want to say thank you to my team for all that you do. We’ll be coming for the belt later this year when we compete with all the shipyards – the champs are ready to set the score!”
