Vyacheslav Antukh from Tomsk Region has been named the country's best flame-cutting torch operator following the federal stage of the "Best in Profession"All-Russian Professional Skills Competition. Sergey Kolobov from Zabaykalsky Territory took second place, and Dmitry Sanfirov from Khabarovsk Territory placed third.
The federal stage of the "Best in Profession" All-Russian Professional Skills Competition in the "Flame-Cutting Torch Operator" category was held in Novokuznetsk from September 10th to 11th. Winners of the regional stages of the "Best in Profession" competition, as well as industry and corporate championships from 12 regions of the country, competed for the title of Russia's best specialist.
The trials took place at the Novokuznetsk Mining and Transport College named after V.F. Kuznetsov, at the ProLom training and production cluster – the only examination facility in Russia with a full production cycle. The site replicates conditions as close as possible to real industrial production: the entire scrap processing flow is modeled, from metal intake to preparation for further use.
Participants had to demonstrate precision, speed, and skill in gas cutting by completing five competition modules of 15 minutes each. Competitors had to prepare and set up their equipment, then – without any preliminary marking – fabricate an equilateral triangle, perform contour cutting along a specified shape, and divide metal into fragments of a given mass.
First place went to Vyacheslav Antukh, who works as a flame-cutting torch operator at Vtormet in Tomsk Region. In his work, he places particular emphasis on cutting precision, knows the properties of metal well, and can read technical drawings. He combines his professional skills with creativity, mastering related disciplines and practicing artistic cutting – turning metal into works of art.
"The work of a flame-cutting torch operator demands precision, experience, and responsibility. At the same time, the profession offers the chance to constantly develop and refine your skills. I enjoy mastering new directions, including artistic cutting. Winning this competition has become an important professional achievement for me and confirmation that daily effort and the drive to improve your craft produce results," the winner shared.
Second place went to Sergey Kolobov, who works as a flame-cutting torch operator at Chita Vtormet in Zabaykalsk Territory. Sergey first joined the company as a loader, then began learning to work with metal under a mentor's guidance. His supervisor noticed his aptitude and suggested he train as a flame-cutting torch operator. Thanks to mentorship and professional training, Sergey earned a new qualification and built a career at a single enterprise.
The bronze medal went to Dmitry Sanfirov, a flame-cutting torch operator at Khabarovsk Vtormet in Khabarovsk Territory. His interest in the trade was instilled by his father, who worked with machinery and welding equipment. He entered the flame-cutting torch operator profession about five years ago, mastering manual oxygen and air-plasma metal cutting.
The winners of the federal stages receive cash prizes: 1 million rubles for first place, 500,000 rubles for second, and 300,000 rubles for third. The awards ceremony for the 2026 winners will take place in December in Moscow.