The best log house builders in Estonia competed on 4th of June in front of the Estonian Open Air Museum. In total, 27 men competed in three categories. The best log house builder of 2022 in the professional category is Madis Jaaska (Hobbiton OÜ). This was his first time competing. Argo Pool (Hiiumaa Vocational School) was best in the students category and the winner in the axemen category was Alari Suun (Hobbiton OÜ).
The competitors competed in speed and technique in the making of one of the most important structural parts of a log house – the corner joint and the groove of a log. The winner must complete the task in the shortest time and most correctly. The competition is held in three categories – professionals, students, and axemen. While all hand and power tools, as well as other tools, are allowed in the category of professionals and students, only traditional hand tools may be used in the so-called axemen category.
In the competition held for the twelfth time, Madis Jaaska (Hobbiton OÜ) set a new record: 19 minutes and 8 seconds. He chose the Estonian square notch with wind-lock. “I am very happy and surprised that I got the first place. I was simply hoping that I would not be last, but I did much better,” says Jaaska jokingly. “I am more used to Scandinavian notches but I figured it would be very difficult to compete with Veiko Palm in that category.”
The organisers were also pleasantly surprised that someone who participated in the competition for the first time turned out to be the winner. Jaaska got the best result to date, by improving the previous record with more than five minutes. Madis was both quick and precise: he was assigned just a few penalty seconds by the judge.
In the professional category, the multiple champion Veiko Palm (Palmaster OÜ) won second place with 26 minutes and 20 seconds, and Ahto Naruski (Hobbiton OÜ) won third place with 31 minutes and 48 seconds.
Alari Suun (Hobbiton OÜ) won first place in the category of traditional hand tools i.e. axemen category. Margus Palolill (MTÜ Vanaajamaja) was second and Mikk Mustmaa (Majakratt OÜ) was third.
In the students category, Argo Pool from Hiiumaa Vocational School won first place. His result would have been very strong in the professional category as well. Raigo Alas was second and Marko Õunapuu was third. The log construction curriculum at the Hiiumaa Vocational School provides a new generation of professionals. Many students who have studied there are now competing in the professional category.
The purpose of the competition organised by the Estonian Woodhouse Association and the Estonian Wooden Houses Cluster is to introduce and value the profession of a log house builder, as well as to promote log house construction and its tradition. The handcrafted log house builders vocational competition is the only event of its kind both in Estonia and internationally, where professional log house builders can compare their skills with other colleagues in an exciting and captivating form for the spectators. For an umbrella organisation of the sector, the competition is now exciting for both the participants, the sector, and the spectators, thanks to the co-organisers and partners.
The next handcrafted log house builders vocational competition will take place on Hiiumaa.
Woodhouse Estonia thank all participants and congratulate the winners!
Sponsors:
Organizers:
The vocational competition is organised by Woodhouse Estonia and the Estonian Wooden Houses Cluster along with log house manufacturers of Southern Estonia and Hiiumaa Vocational School.
The vocational competition for log house builders is supported by the full application project of the Estonian wooden house export cluster within the Estonian Wooden House Exporters Cluster Programme of Enterprise Estonia funded by the European Regional Development Fund.