Sway tree-climbing ace Jo Hedger storms to European crown in Jastrebarsko, Croatia

SWAY’S Josephine Hedger has added another European tree-climbing title to her ever-growing collection, making it her seventh European crown.

The six-time world tree-climbing champion, who works in the New Forest with her company Arbor Venture Tree Care, overcame early adversity to claim the ISA European Tree Climbing Championship title in Jastrebarsko, Croatia.

Hedger, who grew up in Highcliffe, was disqualified from one of the qualification events after committing a minor infraction, meaning she had to fight hard in the remaining four qualifiers to make this year’s final.

Hedger said: “It was particularly hard for me this year. I was disqualified from one event, so I had to work extra hard in the remaining four events to ensure I accumulated enough points to make the final. This was a good challenge not only physically but mentally, too.”

To win, an individual competes in five preliminary events, and entrants are judged on speed, skill, and technique.

The accumulation of points puts the top women and men into the masters climb on the second day. This event allows the climbers to demonstrate how they read the tree and move around the canopy to get the marked targets within a specific time, with the climber with the highest score winning.

There is also a separate event in which competitors compete in a head-to-head fastest vertical ascent to 15m.

Hedger added: “Winning the title still means a huge amount to me because I put a lot of time and effort into training before the event, and the skill level of the other competitors gets higher every year.

“I have had to improve my own ability and skill since I first won it in 2014, which is a journey I have enjoyed.”

The serial winner will now enjoy a few weekends off from training before preparations begin for the upcoming UK & Ireland championships in Warwickshire in September and the world championship in Atlanta, USA, in October.

She continued: “Out of all the events I have competed in, the European competition is one of my favourites.

“The high level of both the trees and competitors is the best in the world. And the camaraderie between all the competitors is something special, even though you are competing against each other.”

The local business owner, married to John Trenchard, has now qualified for next year’s European championship at a yet-to-be-determined location.