The three-day event held last week at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College attracted 18 teams from several US states.

It was sponsored by SKCTC and the Kentucky Coal Academy.

The second overall winner was also an Arch Coal team, the crew from Lone Mountain Processing in Virginia.

Third overall was Alpha Natural Resource’s Southern Kentucky team.

Trophies were also handed out for bench, pre-shift, first aid and mine rescue contests.

In the Bench Bio Pak 240R division, first place went to Kentucky Coal Academy’s Ryan Culbertson. Second place was Arch Coal Beckley Gold Team’s Mike Kincaid and third place went to Arch Coal Beckley Gold Team’s Roy Smith.

In Bench BG, first place was a tie between Walter Energy – Jim Walter Resources Team No. 4’s Joey Hammrick and Alpha Natural Resources – Southern Kentucky’s Tony Lloyd.

Second place was Arch Coal Cumberland River Coal Blue Team’s Michael Johnson and third place was earned by Alpha Natural Resources – Southern Kentucky’s Tim Turner.

In the pre-shift segment, top prize was Arch Coal Cumberland River Coal Blue Team’s Chris Couch. Second place went to Kentucky Coal Academy’s David Mackey and third place was Charles Conn from Alpha Natural Resources – East Kentucky.

Arch Coal Mingo Logan Coal Mountain Laurel Gold Team was first place in first aid, while second and third place were Mine Rescue Services Southeast Kentucky Mine Rescue Team and Jim Walter Resources Team No. 4, respectively.

The mine rescue portion of the event lasted two days.

On day one the gold medal winners were the crew from Alpha Natural Resources Southern Kentucky. Second place was TECO Coal’s Gray Team and third place was accepted by Mine Rescue Services, Southeast Kentucky Mine Rescue Team.

On the second of the two days, Arch Coal Beckley Gold Team was first, followed by Arch Coal Cumberland River Blue Team in second and Arch Coal Lone Mountain Processing in third.

Finally, in the combination event, first place was earned by Arch Coal Mingo Logan Mountain Laurel Gold Team. Second place was Mine Rescue Services – Southeast Kentucky Mine Rescue Team and third place went to TECO Coal’s Gray Team.

“We may be down, but we’re not out,” awards banquet featured speaker and Kentucky Coal Association president Bill Bissett said as the event adjourned for another year.

“We’re facing scary times in this nation right now, but seeing the strength and the unity among our coal miners like I see tonight gives us hope.”

The competition was organized by the Cumberland Tourist Commission. Planning committee representative Jeremy Williams, told the large group that they were some of the top crews in the nation.

“And one of these teams can go on to be the national champions,” he said.

The National Mine Rescue Contest is set for Columbus, Ohio, this September.