JACK Jordan taking the world title in March this year.
The country’s top axeman, Jack Jordan, intends to honour the memory of his old teammate and competitor Jason Wynyard in the best way possible this week – by winning the Stihl Timbersports World Championship in Europe.
In doing so, the 27-year-old King Country farmer will join the illustrious company of Wynyard and David Bolstad (who won in 2007) as the only other Kiwi to ever win the coveted title.
Wynyard won the world championship event a record nine times during his legendary wood-chopping career but fell agonisingly short in his quest for 10 titles last year. Wynyard died from an aggressive form of cancer last month.
“Both myself and the rest of the New Zealand team attending these world championships know that although Jason won’t be competing, his presence will be keenly felt by us and all the other international axemen at the event,” Jack said.
Jack earned the right to be the sole New Zealand representative in the individual competition at the world championships after he topped a 10-strong field including Wynyard at the NZ National Stihl Timbersports finals in March.
Jack already holds the world record for the faster-format Stihl Timbersports World Trophy competition, which he won in June in the Netherlands.
This weekend’s world championship event at Stuttgart, Germany, is the more traditional, long-form format across six wood-chopping and sawing disciplines.
Jack will also compete alongside the New Zealand team in the teams’ competition being held the day before his individual event.
Included in the five-member New Zealand team is fellow King Country axeman Chris Lord from Otorohanga who was named 2019 Stihl Rookie World Champion.
The other members of the team are Bobby Dowling (Southland), Nathan McDonald (Auckland) and Mathew Gower (Taranaki).
