Gabriel Warde from Galway has won the final of Scania Young European Truck Driver 2012 (YETD) competition in Sweden.

The final was decided in Sodertalje, Sweden and attracted close to 10,000 spectators. Warde, who participated in the YETD final for the second time, beat 23 other talented young professional drivers from countries throughout Europe.

"I really felt the pressure releasing after the competition but it is really good to be on this side of the finishing line," says Warde who works for Arrabawn Co-op. "It has been fantastic to see how concentrated and focused the drivers have been during the competition," says Erik Ljungberg, Senior Vice President and head of Scania Corporate Relations.

"There is only one who can call himself the best young truck driver in Europe but I think all 24 can call themselves winners."

Gabriel Warde was on seventh place in the competition after the qualification rounds. Runner up in the final was Dmitrey Semenov from Russia and on third place was Stephen Lacombe from France. The first prize in the competition is a brand new truck from Scania R-series, at a value of 100,000 euro.

A total of more than 17,000 young truck drivers under age 35 from 24 European countries competed in Scania Young European Truck Driver.

The final took place over a two-day period and included such tests as defensive and fuel-economy driving, cargo securing, check before driving, rescue and fire and safe manoeuvring. The contestants in the final had to prove that they had the skill and attitude of responsible heavy truck drivers as they completed a programme consisting of complex manoeuvring and obstacle tests.

Scania Young European Truck Driver is a major part of a global initiative for responsible, safe driving that Scania started in 2003.

"The driver is absolutely the most important factor in heavy vehicle transport," says Erik Ljungberg. "Vehicles and infrastructure are obviously of major significance, but fuel-efficient and safe driving is primarily a matter of human behaviour. Through YETD, Scania wants to help raise the status of professional drivers and emphasise their great importance to the profitability of transport companies and to road safety, as well as to the reduced environmental impact. We want to help attract more young, capable drivers into the transport business."