Jordan claims fourth world Timbersport title

Tuesday, 9 June 2026

Taumarunui-based farmer Jack Jordan has sealed his reputation as one of the top axemen on the planet while competing in Hungary on the weekend.

National and world records tumbled as one of the world’s top axemen, King Country farmer Jack Jordan, claimed his fourth consecutive Stihl Timbersport World Trophy title.

Jordan shared his triumph with rookie Kiwi axeman, Whangamomona’s Matthew Gower, who won his first world title in the under-25 Stihl Timbersports Rookies World Championship held in Budapest, Hungary on the weekend.

Jordan set yet another world record on his way to achieving an incredible four-peat of the World Trophy.

King Country farmer Jack Jordan, centre, lifts the Stihl Timbersport World Trophy for the fourth time after breaking his own world record.

The 29-year-old is also the current Stihl Timbersports World Champion, and the New Zealand Rural Sports Person of the Year supreme award winner.

He beat 16 of the world’s top axemen from 16 different countries to claim the historic feat.

“I feel great, it’s great to be able to come over here and succeed,” Jordan said.

Whangamomona’s Matthew Gower won his first world title in the under-25 Stihl Timbersports Rookies World Championship on the weekend.

“It’s been tough going, all the training you put in at home, you sometimes wonder what it’s for when you have no competition.

“To get over here and put on a performance like that, I’m extremely happy about it.

“There was a lot of pressure in that final. Five years ago, no one knew about me so hopefully I can keep on doing it, I’m really grateful to be able to come over here and win these events so let’s hope I can continue doing so,” Jordan said.

The World Trophy format that Jordan won for the fourth straight time is like the 20/20 cricket of international wood chopping.

The quick-fire event sees competitors take on four disciplines back to back with no rest in between.

It’s suited to competitors with superior fitness and endurance as they make their way through knockout stages to the final showdown.

Jordan set a new world record of 50.84 seconds - smashing his previous World Trophy record time of 52.53 seconds set in Milan, Italy two years ago.

Meanwhile, Gower snatched victory by just five-hundredths of a second in the final discipline to win his first world title.

The 23-year-old set four national records and a personal best across the five Timbersport disciplines against 12 competitors.

The title came down to the very last of those disciplines with Gower pipping Australia’s Awatea Moore Barrett in the technical springboard event.

“It hasn’t fully sunk in yet, but I know all the boys and family at home are watching,” Gower said.

“It’s been an honour - I’m honestly lost for words … I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the supportive community I have back at home.

“It was definitely worth the trip, it’s been amazing.”

The qualified diesel mechanic, who has a passion for hunting, has represented New Zealand in age group tournaments for the past five years, and also won the New Zealand rookies championship for the first time last year.

Gower is heading to direct to Alaska after the event for a six-month sabbatical to mine for gold.

The other piece of history was also achieved by Aussie-based Kiwi, Ashleigh Marsh, who was competing in the first Stihl Timbersports Women’s World Championship.

Marsh, who hails from Westport, finished just off the podium in fourth place in a 10-strong field contested over four individual Timbersport disciplines.