Top Axeman Makes The Cut For Tilt At Coveted 10th World Title

An emotional Jason Wynyard has cut his first step towards claiming a 10th world title by winning the 2022 New Zealand STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® National Championships this weekend in Auckland.

Saturday’s victory means Wynyard has earned the right to represent New Zealand at the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Championships in Sweden in October – a tournament he last won five years ago.

Since 2017 Wynyard has battled debilitating arthritis in his hip, but now following nearly three years break from fulltime competition - involving stem cell treatment and a hip replacement - the nine-times STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® world champion is on the comeback at the age of 48!

“I had this goal to try and qualify for the World Champs for some time now since hip replacement and stem cell treatment and it’s pretty cool to take that next step and qualify, but I realise that there’s a lot of work ahead of me,” says Wynyard.

An emotional Wynyard dedicated his victory to fellow international competitor, Martin Komarek of the Czech Republic, who was very well known to the New Zealand Timbersport community having competed here, who died tragically in a forestry workplace accident overseas this week.

The New Zealand STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® National Championships at Kumeu, West Auckland was contested across three divisions Men’s, Women’s and Rookie’s.

Stace Hall, Marketing Manager for Stihl New Zealand says it was a wonderful achievement to hold this year’s national championship under challenging circumstances.

“Stihl is delighted to have been able to deliver this year’s competition, to allow these incredible athletes to show off their skill and commitment to the sport.

“Jason Wynyard is a wonderful ambassador for Stihl and for the sport in general. We wish him all the best for his tilt at a tenth STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® world title later this year,” says Hall.

The overall division winners earning the most accumulated points across their combined wood chopping and sawing disciplines were as follows:

• Men’s Division – involving six disciplines:

1st Jason Wynyard - Auckland

2nd Shane Jordan - Taranaki

3rd Nathan McDonald - Waiuku

• Women’s Division – involving three disciplines:

1st Kylea Heaton - Hamilton

2nd Darcell Apelu - Tauranga

3rd Nat Paterson - Wyndham

• Rookie Division – involving four disciplines:

1st Cleveland Cherry - Tokoroa

2nd Morgan Bolstad - Taumarunui

3rd Matthew Gower - Whangamomona

A complete list of results from the 2022 New Zealand STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® National Championships follows on the next page.

About Jason Wynyard

• Jason Wynyard MNZM has won over a hundred world titles in the sport.

• Wynyard has won the individual STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Championship nine times.

• Wynyard has also won the New Zealand National Championships 15 times:

1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2022.

• Received the Order of Merit for services to the sport of wood chopping in 2017

Men’s Competition

Overall:

1- Jason Wynyard

2- Shane Jordan

3-Nathan McDonald

4- Adam Lowe

5- Jack Jordan

6- David McDonald

7- William McDonald

Winners of individual disciplines:

Underhand- Jack Jordan

Stock saw- Shane Jordan

Standing block - Jack Jordan

Single saw- Nathan McDonald

Springboard - Shane Jordan

Hot saw - Jason Wynyard

Women’s Competition

Overall:

1- Kylea Heaton

2- Darcell Apelu

3- Nat Paterson

4- Sheree Taylor

5- Alma Wallace

6- Emma Riddell

7- Emma Shaw

8- Karen Corbin

Winners of individual disciplines:

Underhand Winner: Darcell Apelu

Stock Saw Winner: Nat Paterson

Single Saw Winner: Darcell Apelu

Rookie’s Competition

Overall:

1- Cleveland Cherry

2- Morgan Bolstad

3- Matthew Gower

4- Finn Sloan

5- Harry Hardie

6- Jack Richards

7- Jordan Thomas

Winners of individual disciplines:

Stock Saw- Finn Sloan

Standing Block - Cleveland Cherry

Single Saw - Cleveland Cherry

Underhand - Cleveland Cherry

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