STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® has today revealed the axe-citing line-up of elite athletes for the 2026 World Trophy and the first ever Women’s World Championship, which touch down in Budapest, Hungary, on the weekend of 6th June. The bumper weekend of ‘Original Extreme Sport’ drama, which also includes the Rookie World Championship on Friday 5th June, will take place at the iconic City Park in Budapest and sees the fan favourite World Trophy return for the first time in two years and the historic debut of the Women’s World Championship.
Can anyone stop Jack Jordan?
Leading the charge in the World Trophy is New Zealand’s Jack Jordan, the reigning Individual World Champion and aiming for an unprecedented fourth consecutive World Trophy victory. The holder of three national records and a specialist in the Underhand Chop, Jordan goes into the competition as the favourite but will have his work cut out by a world class supporting cast.
Amongst his biggest challengers will be five-time Polish national champion Michał Dubicki, the 2023 World Trophy runner-up who has represented his country at six World Championships. The 45-year-old is likely to be Europe’s strongest contender to the crown and is motivated to demonstrate his continued class in the face of competition from younger athletes.
Also set to vie for Jordan’s title is two-time World Trophy silver medallist Matyáš Klíma (Czechia) and two-time Team World Champion Kody Steers (Australia).
History is made with first Women’s World Championship
Preceding the returning Trophy is the debut Women’s World Championship, with 10 of the world’s best female logger athletes set to battle out for the title of inaugural Women’s World Champion.
In what is expected to be a tightly contested tournament, athletes to watch include Australia’s Takiah Moore Barrett, a world record holder in the Underhand Chop; Czechia’s Karolina Urbanová, a European record holder in the same discipline; and the USA’s Erin Lavoie, who will be aiming to seal her qualification at the North American Women’s Cup at the end of the month.
Rookie World Championship showcases next generation
Kicking off the weekend is the Rookie World Championship which presents fans with an opportunity to take in the next generation of wood chopping and sawing talent. A new Rookie World Champion is guaranteed after 2025 winner Matt Coffey graduated to the Pro ranks this year, with the likes of Kamiel van Raemdonck (Belgium), Daniel Miner (USA), Simon Oberzaucher (Austria) and Awatea Moore Barrett (Australia) gunning for his title and hoping to replicate his success.
All three competitions will be livestreamed globally on the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Facebook and YouTube channels, while the World Trophy will also be broadcast live on Sport1.de.
The full competition schedule is available at: https://www.stihl-timbersports.com/en/events
