The trowels are at the ready as the race to find Britain’s fastest bricklayer is under way
Super Trowel is bigger than ever in 2025 with five regional heats before the final this August. The event champions the skills and expertise of ordinary bricklayers, through a test of speed, quality and accuracy. Founder Ashley Francis, himself a brickie, together with his fellow Super Trowel Directors, Jack Dawson of Hertford Regional College and bricklayer and Brick Jackets inventor, Joe Short, have a passion for the industry which is proudly on display in the event itself.
“We want to demonstrate that the building industry is fun, exciting and a great destination for young people,” enthuses Ashlely Francis. “It’s about building a community of bricklayers, and everyone’s really got behind what we’re doing. We’ve got a lot of high-profile sponsors now and they love Super Trowel.”
The road to the final began at Hertford college in March. The winner and runner-up of each of the heats will go straight through to the final, as well as the best third placed contestant from all of the regionals. They will be joined by reigning 2024 champion, Charlie Collison. The best trowel from the Super Mix Bricklayer 500 competition in Las Vegas, Cole Stamper will be assured a place, and there’s a further international entry with Australia’s Alex Roxan. That final will take place at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire on 13th & 14th August. The Super Trowel champion will then get the chance to test his skills on the world stage at the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 event.
Peter Roberts was the head judge at Hertford, and one of a group of 29 volunteers who will be keeping a close eye on contestants at the heats and the final. “The camaraderie at these events is fantastic,” he declares, “but it’s also a very challenging examination for the participants. Each bricklayer has to meet a very stringent criteria and there are deductions for infringements. It’s not just about laying as many as you can because if you don’t get the finish right then you can lose a lot of them.”
The Super Trowel bricklayers and their accompanying hod carrier, lay as many bricks as they can on top of an eight-metre starter course in one hour, with a further 20 minutes to point up. The devil is then in the detail, where gauge tolerance and plumbing points are assessed. Chipped bricks will detract from a score as will walls that are not level.
Many of the judges, including Peter and his colleague Ray Goddard are themselves educators and count themselves privileged to be part of a fraternity that is showcasing the trade. “It’s great for the industry,” adds Ray. “There’s a big skills shortage in construction at the moment and an initiative like Super Trowel can really communicate the ability that’s involved.”
Ash Mahoney is a Super Trowel veteran and, after a successful outing at the Newry, Northern Ireland Super Trowel, will be in the final in August. “It’s just such a brilliant buzz. It’s so enjoyable to do what we do day in, day out in a competition. It’s also great for young kids to see this competition because it celebrates the industry and it will hopefully play its part in making sure that there’s a next generation.”
Ashley has achieved two podium finishes, coming second in the final in Super Trowel’s first year and third in 2024. Aside from being a very good bricklayer he believes that fitness is essential for success: “You’ve really got to make sure you’re looking after yourself, because it’s hard out there for that hour.”
Indeed, what the Super Trowel competitors lay in an hour, many bricklayers would be happy with in a day. Harry Payne and George Cassidy of HRP Brickwork & Landscaping were the runners up and have secured their place in the final. “It feels great to get through,” admits the perspiring brickie. “That’s a lot of bricks to get out and my back is now killing me. I think I’ll need to get down the gym a bit more before Stoneleigh Park in August. We’re only a small local firm so the exposure that we get from success here is massive for us. As well as that bricklaying should be recognised as a craft skill that takes years to master because it’s been underrated for too long.”
It is a testament to that skill on display that the winner of the southern regional heat, Tom Humphreys of ARH Developments was actually disappointed with his tally of 571 bricks in an hour. “I thought I’d get a few more than that out, to be honest, but I didn’t get many deductions either, so the quality was there. I actually competed last year, and didn’t make the final, but I’ve been practising a lot since then.”
Some of the building industries leading figures are backing Super Trowel and that includes Gavin Crane of Band of Builders, who sees a synergy between his charity and the bricklaying competition. “We’re all about presenting a positive image of the industry and developing a community, and that’s just what Ash, Jack and Joe have achieved.”
You can listen to the Super Trowel organisers, competitors and judges in the latest Professional Builder podcast:
For further information on Super Trowel visit Super Trowel | BSC.
The Super Trowel 2025 final will take place at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire on 13th & 14th August.
