TIMBERSPORTS® 2026 season takes shape – Nordic athletes prepare for international showdown
A new season of the extreme sport TIMBERSPORTS® is approaching. The 2026 competition year begins in May in Umeå, Sweden, and will take Nordic athletes through a series of regional and international competitions before culminating at the World Championship in Stuttgart in October.
The Nordic season kicks off at the forestry fair Skogsnolia in Umeå on 7–9 May, hosting the opening round of the Nordic Cup. The series continues in Orsa, Sweden, on 15 July before the Nordic season reaches its climax at the Nordic Championships during the agricultural fair Agrisjå in Stjørdal, Norway, in August.
There, the best athletes from across the Nordic region will compete in the Pro, Rookie and Women classes in a series of demanding disciplines using axes, saws and chainsaws.
For Norwegian athlete Vebjørn Sønsteby, the event will be a special one. The reigning Norwegian champion hopes to take advantage of the home crowd when the Nordic Championships return to Norway.
“The Nordic Championships on home soil will be something special. I’m aiming for the top of the podium, and hopefully a strong result there can take me all the way to the World Championship in Stuttgart. My goal is to qualify for it,” says Vebjørn Sønsteby.
World Championship in Stuttgart
Alongside the Nordic competitions, several international events will gather the world’s top TIMBERSPORTS® athletes. The highlight of the season will be the World Championship in Stuttgart, Germany, on 30–31 October.
Nordic athletes have recently shown strong form at the international level. Sweden won a historic silver medal in the team competition at last year’s World Championship, while Swedish athlete Emil Hansson finished fourth in the individual event.
After a strong pre-season, Hansson is aiming to return to the world stage this autumn.
“The first step is to qualify for the individual World Championship, but once you’re there the goal is clear – I want to fight for the title. I know I have the level for it,” says Hansson.
Women’s World Championship held for the first time
One of the biggest milestones of the 2026 season will be the first-ever Women’s World Championship. The competition will take place on 6 June in Budapest alongside the prestigious World Trophy, where the world’s 16 best professional athletes compete in an intense knockout format.
Among the world’s top-ranked competitors is Sweden’s Tove Njåstad, who is preparing to challenge for a place on the podium as the women’s side of the sport reaches a new international milestone.
“It’s incredible that there will finally be a World Championship for women. The level has risen enormously in recent years and there are many really strong athletes competing. Of course it’s a little nerve-wracking, but if I do what I’m supposed to do I know I have a good chance. My goal is to keep developing, push my personal bests even further and defend my Nordic Championship title,” says Tove Njåstad.
Key TIMBERSPORTS® competitions in 2026
- 7–9 May – Nordic Cup, Skogsnolia, Umeå (Sweden)
- 6 June – World Trophy & Women’s World Championship, Budapest (Hungary)
- 15 July – Nordic Cup, Orsayran, Orsa (Sweden)
- 21–23 August – Nordic Championships, Agrisjå, Stjørdal (Norway)
- 13 September – European Trophy, Baszkowice (Poland)
- 30–31 October – World Championship, Stuttgart (Germany)
The full TIMBERSPORTS® competition calendar is available here: https://data.stihl-timbersports.com/Events
