TIMBERSPORTS® World Championship 2024 in Toulouse: Fierce Competition For the Nordic Athletes
The packed Zénith Toulouse Métropole arena in France hosted the TIMBERSPORTS® World Championships 2024 this weekend, where the top athletes from 19 nations gathered in front of over 9,000 spectators. The Swedish team clinched seventh place and set a new Nordic record of 54.98 seconds, while Norway finished seventeenth. In the individual competition, Ferry Svan emerged as the best European athlete with an impressive fourth place.
The team competition kicked off on Friday evening, featuring the Norwegian and Swedish national teams competing in the disciplines of Stock Saw, Underhand Chop, Single Buck, and Standing Block Chop. The Swedish team – with Ferry Svan, Emil Hansson, Calle Svadling, and Pontus Skye – finished on seventh place and also set a new Nordic record of 54.98 seconds. Despite their efforts, they did not reach the podium, as Australia took home the gold for the fifth consecutive year, setting a new world record in the process. United States secured the silver medal, with Canada taking bronze.
"Everything pretty much clicked for us today, and the record is proof that we are developing in the right direction. We are pleased with our performance, even though we know we have more to give," said Calle Svadling, captain of the Swedish team.
The Norwegian team, which fielded a newly composed quartet this year – Simen Jesnes Buraas, Vebjørn Sønsteby, Gerhard Sørensen-Fuglem, and Bart Gevers – faced tough competition from the world's best and ultimately finished in seventeenth place.
"We are a new team this year, so we should not be too hard on ourselves. Small mistakes cost a lot, but we will take today's lessons with us," said Vebjørn Sønsteby, the current Norwegian champion.
Individual Competition: Ferry Svan the Best European Athlete
The axe-tion continued on Saturday with the individual competition, where Swedish Ferry Svan made a comeback on the international scene. Svan demonstrated his capabilities by reaching the final round and finishing in an impressive fourth place, thereby becoming the best European athlete. Nathaniel Hodges from the USA ultimately won the gold, followed by Jordan from New Zealand and Ben Cumberland from Canada in second and third place, respectively.
"Unfortunately, I made a few too many small errors to go all the way, especially in the Springboard discipline. Despite this, there are definitely highlights from today's competition that I am proud of, not least my victory in the Hot Saw heat," said Ferry Svan.
See the live streams from STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® WCH 2024 here.
Full results from Team WCH 2024 can be found here.
Full results from Individual WCH 2024 can be found here.
