This year’s 12th National Championship of Forestry Workers and Loggers was held in the central park in Lipovljani on August 24th under the sponsorship of the company PK doo. As the competition was held in one of the cradles of forestry, and a real nursery of excellent loggers, it attracted a large number of spectators and fans. A total of 66 competitors fought for a ticket to the national team and the World Championship, which will be held next year in Belgrade, in the Republic of Serbia. The first four disciplines: turning the guide bar, combined cross-cut, accurate cross-cut on the ground and notch were fought in a mutual outwit of four players: Ante Zadra from UŠP Vinkovci and the local guys from UŠP Zagreb, namely Šumarija Lipovljani, Siniša Varga, Davor Ivanković and Predrag Šolaja, who were the backbone of the national team in previous competitions.

After four disciplines, the lead went to Ante Zadro, ahead of Siniša Varga (gold medalist in the combined sectional in Belarus in 2012), Davor Ivanković and Predrag Šolaja, all with a small point gap. The final and most attractive discipline offered unprecedented excitement as there was a dead heat between four competitors for three places in the national team. With great cheering, the competitors gave their all, and in the end, the overall ranking was decided by nuances, and Ante Zadro emerged as the overall winner with 1633 points, ahead of Davor Ivanković with 1629 points and Siniša Varga with 1628 points in total.

We don’t remember the last time the top three competitors were separated by only 5 points. This speaks volumes about the quality and readiness of our national team members, who will certainly be ready for the World Championships. The junior competition was also tense, with Domagoj Brtović from UŠP Zagreb and Mihael Dobenko from UŠP Nova Gradiška leading the tight battle until the very end. In the end, Brtović won, finishing the competition without penalty points, which ultimately earned him 7th place overall and an invitation to represent our country as a junior. The team victory went to UŠP Zagreb, ahead of UŠP Nova Gradiška and UŠP Vinkovci.

Source: www.hrsume.hr