Don’t miss the Forwarder Championships at LIGNA

The Working Group of Forestry Contractors of Lower Saxony is holding the 15th Lower Saxony Forwarder Championships on 29 May at LIGNA in Hannover, Germany.

The fact that the competition is happening in an outdoor exhibition area and not in a forest heightens the challenges facing the operators. Competitors are tasked with two challenges. The first, turmbau (tower building) tests the dexterity and accuracy of their crane operating skills. 

In the Cup stage, two drivers face off in identical forwarders, navigating a course with multiple stations requiring precise log loading. Success demands both speed and accuracy. The first driver to complete the course with minimal penalties moves on to subsequent rounds, culminating in the grand final in the afternoon.

The machines for the competitions will be provided by manufacturers/dealers/members. 

Turmbau

• Contestants must build a tower using 40cm long wooden pieces.
• The wooden pieces can be freely positioned within the crane's reach before the competition starts.
• The tower must be built in a specific order: a whole wooden piece (bottom), two split wooden pieces, a whole wooden piece, two split wooden pieces, and finally, a whole wooden piece.
• The maximum time allowed is 10 minutes.
• The Turmbau discipline is a preliminary round to determine the top 16 (or eight if fewer participants) drivers for the Cup-Wettbewerb.

Cup-Wettbewerb

• Contestants compete against each other.
• The forwarders start between two piles of logs, with the crane placed on the bunk.
• The competition involves driving through a course and loading the logs onto the bunk.
• They must be loaded flush against the bunk grid.
• The competition ends when the first contestant returns to the starting position and grasps the middle log with the crane.
• Penalties are given for knocking over or moving obstacles, improper loading, and causing damage to the machine.
• The winners of each Cup-Wettbewerb round qualify for the next round (quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals).

The overall winner will receive the coveted Lower Saxony Forwarder Champion 2025 cup.