Hot Saw Hiccup Costs Jordan World Championship

The country’s top axeman, Jack Jordan, has finished just short of a gold medal at the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Championship individual event in Toulouse, France over the weekend.

In the 12-strong field, Jordan was well-positioned amongst the top three and a gold medal chance - alongside eventual winner Nate Hodges from the USA and third place getter Ben Cumberland from Canada - right up until the last of six disciplines, the Hot Saw. 

The Hot Saw (super-powered chainsaw) never fails to deliver drama and so it provided again, with Jordan forced to cut an extra (fourth) cookie/disk to avoid disqualification, taking his time out to 7.84 seconds and ultimately a silver medal placing.

Although still a personal best for Jordan at this event, it was not the gold he was chasing. 

“You’re always a bit disappointed when you don’t win, but to still get silver at the end feels good. We’re going to celebrate and I’m looking forward to bringing the silver medal back to New Zealand.”

Jordan finished the competition tied on 61 points with Cumberland, but the Kiwi claimed second place due to his faster overall time across all six disciplines. 

It was the 28 year-old King Country farmer’s second appearance at an individual World Championship - the more traditional, long-form format across six different wood-chopping and sawing disciplines. Jordan has already won the faster-format STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Trophy competition (knock-out format over four disciplines) three consecutive times in the last three years. 

Jordan earned the right to be the sole New Zealand representative in the individual competition at these World Championships after he topped a 10-strong field at the NZ National STIHL Timbersports finals in March this year.

The New Zealand team (listed below) finished just out of the medals in 4th place in a 10-strong field at the same event a day before Jordan’s individual competition. Australia, USA and Canada completed the podium in the same order as last year. A sixth consecutive team victory for the ‘Chopperoos’.  New Zealand last won the World Championship teams title in 2017.

The team event involves teams battling against each other in a knockout format across four disciplines: Stock Saw, Single Buck, Underhand Chop and Standing Block Chop.

NZ Stihl Timbersports World Championship Team 2024:

• Jack Jordan Taumarunui
• Bobby Dowling Southland
• Kyle Lemon Rotorua
• Shane Jordan Taranaki

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