The second annual International Congress of Woodmen's Unite Midsummer 98 Convention for the Swedish Branch was held at Stubbetorpet. Stubbetorpet is located 25 km north of Finspong out in the wilderness in the middle of Sweden. This year Woodmen and women had came from all over the world. Countries represented:
Sweden, England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Russia, Brasilia, USA, Germany, New Zealand and Finland.

The convention started with a cocktail and after that the 60 participating members were divided into five different teams.

"Tips Promenad"
The first event in the following team competition was a normal Swedish "Tips-promenad" over 12 questions plus a special question. Unfortunately it was a bit wet on the dirt track in the woods.

The winner of the "Tips-promenad" was Perti. The Mean Machine had the best team score. Perti's price was some nice Indian accessories, shown below:

Midsummer Table
Then all of us were hungry so the traditional midsummer table was started. During the traditional dinner based on herring and potato about 20 different songs were performed, with different success. However without any doubts the sound level was loud. We were lucky it is about five km to the nearest neighbor.

The Song Folder used at the party can be downloaded in PDF-format (343 kb), by clicking on the Song Folder below:

Tug of War
After the meal the next team competition event started. This event was a Tug of War competition, with the four strongest men and one woman in each pulling team. All teams pulled against each other. The winning team of the Tug of War was The Untouchables followed by The Mean Machine in second place.

Young woodmen playing

Tampon Race
The next competition was something that Pontus the Game leader Woodmen had invented. A tampon race. Further explanation unnecessary, it had to be seen. A girl from Russia won this event.

Doping
Suddenly the doping police made an unforeseen rassia and the three next competitions (Beer event, Spoon and Potato, Apple race) had to be canceled. The official reason was to much alcoholic beverage intake of the competitors. A new record in the world of sobriety test was taken by Nigel, but Johan and Erik was not far away.

Midnight Barbecue
At midnight the grill was lit and the barbecue started. The party continued almost the whole midsummer night in front of the big hot grill made of an old feeding furrow for cows, 3 m long. We did not lack of timber for the fire. Some people prepared meat they never even ate. We saved it for the next convention.

Cold Night
A lot of people were sleeping in a tent like myself and could summarize the night with one word: - Cold - It was only 7 degrees C the midsummer night.

"Blind" Bicycle Hero
One of the more intoxicated woodmen insist to cycle home the day after at lunch time. Three hours later two other woodmen found him sleeping in the ditch 1 km down the dirt road. He claimed it was due to his missing glasses (he probably dropped the glasses when he earlier crashed with the cycle in a tent), but the rest of us were surprised he came so far...

Thanks
Many thanks to Johan, Ian and Julie for organizing the great Woodmen's Midsummer 98 Convention.

Johan & Ian

/Henrik