Could he be New Zealand's Next Top Forklift Driver?
A Tauranga man will star in a forklift driver championship set to screen on national TV next month.
Eli Martin has 11 years of forklift driving experience and will show the nation he has what it takes to be the country's best forklift driver on World Forklift League.
"I'm pretty excited about it actually. It's going to be a good laugh," Mr Martin said, who works for Fonterra.
"Now that it's a bit closer [to screening] it's starting to feel a bit more surreal now."
Five teams, made up of a forklift operator plus support crew, will take part in the 11-week elimination series hosted by comedian Mike King.
King, a former forklift driver "from way back in the days when you didn't need a licence", said the competition was great fun.
"I was pretty good at it, but these guys were absolutely fantastic and very skilled," King said.
Teams use a Crown C-5 Series LPG truck to perform challenges most forklift drivers have never experienced.
Challenges include "forklift golf", which requires drivers to lift and navigate a giant golf ball around obstacles and on to a green, and "sugar rush", where drivers must pick up giant sugar cubes to drop into a giant cup of coffee.
Mr Martin said "out of the blue" challenges had made the competition fun.
"In regards to the challenges, that was out of the blue but it's kind of what you'd do normally - but it just happens to be recorded on TV," he said.
"Working wise it's pretty much what you would normally do at work doing everything safely, but in regards to interaction with other forklift drivers from other regions and other roles it was all bloody fantastic," Mr Martin said.
He and his mates will rally together to watch the show's premiere on Maori Television on August 6 at 8pm.
"I'm just keen for everyone to have a good laugh," Mr Martin said.
Broadcaster Dale Husband will give play-by-play commentary throughout the series, which is set in Dunedin at seven iconic locations.
Producer Brendon Butt said World Forklift League was a show the whole family could enjoy.
"It's a good fun celebration of the factory-floor workers who are often the unsung heroes in our community."