Martin operates forwarders for the company of Bröderna Svensson Skogsentreprenad in Horn, Sweden. But he does more than just that. He is an unusually highly trained operator, with a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management, which means he also does other kinds of forest work.

“Winning a competition at this level is especially exciting and a stimulus for my work,” says Martin, who has competed for seven years and won the Swedish Forwarder Cup in both 2006 and 2008.

In the semi-final Martin met and beat another Swede, Mattias Paulsson, and then won the nerve-wracking final against Finland’s Timo Nieminen. Brad Ackerman of the USA beat Mattias in the face-off for third prize. But Mattias had a consolation prize in being the bronze medal winner of the Nordic competition.

Martin had a chance at becoming triple champion by also winning at the Swedish national Forwarder Cup on the following day, 6 June, but ended up finishing in (a still highly respectable) third place.