Let the games begin!
New Zealand's largest celebration of rural sports athletes and enthusiasts – New Zealand Rural Games - is back for its 10th edition, kicking off in Palmerston North from Thursday, March 6th to Sunday, March 9th, 2025.
New Zealand’s sole representative at the end of year world champs is determined by whoever wins the national title at the Rural Games in Palmerston North, this year won by 39-yearold Shane Jordan, who pipped his younger sibling of 10 years, at the final hurdle.
Shane is looking forward to being the Individual NZ competitor at the World Champs in Stuttgart, Germany in October.
In a repeat of last year’s competition, the result came down to the last of six Timbersports disciplines, with the two brothers even on points after five rounds, going into the hot saw (supercharged chainsaws) event.
“All I knew going into the hot saw was that I had to put up a really good time and try and put the pressure back on Jack, and luckily enough for me, it all worked out pretty good,” said Shane. “Jack’s pretty hard to beat at the best of times, and so, yeah, it was definitely pretty good yesterday to get one over the top of him. I could see he was hurting at the end of it all, and I felt his pain, so I didn’t talk to him too much. It’ll take him a day or two to process it all, but he’ll certainly be on my side when our NZ Team heads over to try and get that world championship.”
Jack Jordan will still head to the World Championships in Germany, part of the international teams event as part of the NZ team, alongside being confirmed to defend his Stihl Timbersport World Trophy in Hungary during June, a short form, high intensity format he’s won the last three years.
The younger Jordan didn’t leave the Rural Games and Palmerston North empty handed, having been crowned the Supreme Rural Sports Award winner for the second time at the Ford New Zealand Rural Sports Awards.
Selection events for the Rookie World Championship and the first ever Stihl Timbersports Women’s World Championship (both being held in Hungary in June) will take place next month in Australia, with four NZ women and four rookies heading over the ditch, from where the top performing Kiwi woman and rookie will be chosen to represent NZ at the Timbersport Worlds in Hungary in June.
Top Three
Stihl Timbersport Nationals Men's Competition Winners:
- First: Shane Jordan - Taranaki
- Second: Jack Jordan - Taumarunui
- Third: Quintin Fawcett - Masterton
