Poland’s Michał Dubicki was this weekend crowned the 2024 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® European Trophy Champion. After improving round-by-round to make the final, he ended the challenge of last year’s runner-up, Sweden’s Ferry Svan, who had to settle for second place once again. Matyáš Klíma, who finished third last year, won successive bronze medals to add to his silver medal at this year’s World Trophy in a breakthrough year for the Czech chopper.
Dubicki lifted the European title – securing his qualification for the next year’s World Trophy in the process - in front of an awestruck crowd at Parco Urbano, in the stunning surrounds of Bellinzona, Switzerland, which is known for being the gateway to the Swiss Alps.
The event saw sixteen of the continent’s best elite logger sports athletes go head-to-head in the Trophy format to crown a European king, doubling up as the European qualifier for next year’s World Trophy.
Dubicki’s steady gains take him to victory in final
Dubicki set a solid time of 1:14.68 in the Time Trial but knew more would be needed if he were to regain the European Trophy he last won in 2021. And more is exactly what he delivered as he improved round by round to reach the final. He set an unmatched time of 1:06.92 in the Round of 16 to ease past Alessandro Ciaponi, despite the Italian setting a personal best, before notching up 1:04.23 to squeeze past Sweden’s Emil Hansson, who set a time of 1:05.27 in an agonisingly tight Quarter Final. Dubicki saved his best for the Semi Final, leaving Czechia’s Matyáš Klíma to settle for a place in the Small Final after scoring a competition-best of 1:01.87. The Pole set a time of 1:07.71 in the Final which, although slower than his previous scores, was more than enough to see off the challenge of Ferry Svan, with the Swede finishing in 1:18.27 to take the silver medal.
Repeat runners-ups as Svan and Klíma complete podium
Ferry Svan repeated his silver medal heroics from last year’s European Trophy, reaching the Final largely untroubled in his match-ups in what has become a happy hunting ground for the Swede. His best performance came in the Quarter Final, setting a time of 1:03.42 to knock out Poland’s Jacek Groenwald, before moving past the home favourite, Oliver Reinhard, in the Semi Final.
Meanwhile, Matyáš Klíma continued a breakthrough 12 months by securing back-to-back European
Trophy bronze medals to add to his silver medal at this year’s World Trophy. The Czech set the fastest time in the Time Trial (1:13.36) and beat Germany’s Stephan Odwarka, Italy’s Andrea Rossi before being beaten in his Semi Final by the event winner, Dubicki. In the Small Final, Klíma had the pleasure of ending the home challenge by defeating the host nation’s Oliver Reinhard with a time of 1:13.18.
Top ten athletes secure place at 2025 World Trophy
In addition to the top four finishers at the 2024 European Trophy, Sweden’s Emil Hansson, Poland’s Jacek Groenwald, France’s Pierre Puybaret, Italian Andrea Rossi, Redmer Knol from the Netherlands, and Austria’s Armin Kugler have also secured a starting place at the 2025 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Trophy.
Michał Dubicki, 2024 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® European Trophy Champion, commented: “I am incredibly happy. This day for me is very happy – and it’s a win. It’s super! I’d like to say thank you for my family for supporting me.”
Full results and final standings for the European Trophy can be found on the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® database.