There will be a full field of competitors at the inaugural Auto Glass Technician Olympics, which will be held October 16-18, 2005 at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The competition had a limit of 24 competitive slots open at the onset of registration and all 24 slots were filled by the time pre-registration for contestants closed on Monday, September 26.

The roster includes auto glass technicians from across the country, and each of the five regions of the United States were represented: the Northeast represented by technicians from New York, Vermont and Pennsylvania; the Northwest by technicians from Washington state and Idaho. The Southeast is represented by contestants from South Carolina, Virginia and the lone Floridian, David Hitzges; Arizona and Utah are both sending two competitors and Texas and California will each send one to represent the Southwest and technicians from Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin will be carrying the weight of the central division.

The field as a whole brings to the competition an average of 10 years experience, with some competitors having upward of 15 years and some as few as 4 years.

"From speaking with the contestants they are really excited about something like this being done in the industry," said event promotions manager, Hayley Steele. "They're definitely ready for it."

The first-prize winner of the Auto Glass Technician Olympics is $5,000and a gold medal. The second-place finisher will receive $1000 and a silver medal, and the third-place finisher will receive a bronze medal and $500.