Fort Collins, Colo. (March 31, 2010) – For the second consecutive year, David Green, a senior studying natural resources at Central Oregon Community College in Bend, Ore., claimed the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Western Collegiate Challenge title, besting perennial favorite and local competitor Adrian Flygt.
Woodsmen teams from 11 regional colleges and universities converged on a snowy Fort Collins for the 71st annual Association of Western Forestry Clubs logging competition that featured the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series presented by Carhartt hosted by Colorado State University Friday, March 19. All 11 competitors fought to the bitterly cold end for a slice of the coveted STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Western title.
"Becoming a high-level professional competitor in this sport is my ultimate goal and making it to the nationals in the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series is a step closer to meeting that goal,” said Green.
In front of ESPNU cameras, Green chopped a small lead over his 10 collegiate competitors throughout the blistery competition day with a first-place finish in the underhand chop and standing block chop and sixth in the stock saw. However, he still had to slice through the final discipline, the single buck in good time to walk away with a win. Completing the single buck in 25.32 seconds secured Green a second-place finish in the discipline and a championship title overall with 38 total points. Max Ottersbach from Modesto Junior College locked in second place with 34 points; University of Idaho’s Brad French claimed third with 33 points and Colorado State’s Flygt rounded out the top four with 32 points.
With this win, STIHL will donate a $1,000 scholarship to Central Oregon Community College and Green will advance to the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Championship presented by Carhartt. The championship event will be held in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Professional Series at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, Ore. Aug. 27-29. The 2010 Collegiate Series will be televised on ESPNU later this year.
Green will compete for the national title against four regional champions and one wildcard pick. The Collegiate Championship winner earns an automatic berth in the 2011 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Professional Series.
“I’m proud of our tough Western competitors and die-hard fans that braved the snowy weather and made the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Western Collegiate Challenge a very memorable event,” said Brad Sorgen, event marketing specialist for STIHL Inc.
Not only has Green competed at the national level in lumberjack sports, but he also competes in semi-professional golf tournaments. Last year he actually skipped the U.S. Open qualifier so he could train for the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Championship that was only a week away.
Since 2003, the Collegiate Series has traveled to college campuses across the country to seek out the best amateur athletes and give them the opportunity to advance in the sport. More than 50 universities and colleges presently compete in the Series. The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series presented by Carhartt grooms student athletes to one day take their place among the professional elite. Additionally, ESPNU provides a national platform to not only highlight the competition and the sport, but also spotlight the hosting schools and their forestry programs in the Collegiate Series competition shows.
In the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series events, each participating forestry team selects its best lumberjacks/jills to go head-to-head in four disciplines, the single buck, stock saw, standing block chop and underhand chop, using professional rules and professional-sized wood.
The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series consists of five regional events and one championship. The complete schedule for the 2010 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series includes:
• Central/Midwest hosted by Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in Carbondale, Ill., Sept. 26, 2009
• Western hosted by Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., March 19, 2010
• Southern hosted by University of Arkansas-Monticello in Monticello, Ark. March 25, 2010
• Mid-Atlantic hosted by Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, Pa., April 17, 2010
• Northeast hosted by Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smith, NY, April 24, 2010
• Collegiate Championship in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Professional Series at the Oregon State Fair Aug. 27-29
Get the latest information and up-to-date news and video on all the competitions by going to
www.ESPNOutdoors.com
and clicking on TIMBERSPORTS, or visit
www.stihltimbersports.com
. Access behind-the-scenes photos and video on
www.Facebook.com/STIHLTIMBERSPORTS
and
http://www.youtube.com/user/STIHLTIMBERSPORTSfan
.
By visiting
www.stihlusa.com
, fans can sign up to receive the latest news, product information, services and specials, news and information about STIHL, its products and services as well as helpful seasonal tips through the STIHL Seasonal and Local Dealer eNewsletters.
STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Western Collegiate Challenge Results:
Competitor School Final Points
David Green Central Oregon Community College 38
Max Ottersbach Modesto Junior College 34
Brad French University of Idaho 33
Adrian Flygt Colorado State University 32
Seth Bergman Flathead Valley Community College 31
Aric Clark University of Montana 30
Sean Bothman University of Northern Arizona 13
Stephanie Brana University of Nevada-Reno 12
Evan Light Cal Poly 11
Allison Chambers University of California-Berkeley 10
Jess Engle Humboldt State University 9
About STIHL Inc.
STIHL Inc. manufactures the world's largest selling brand of chain saws and produces a full line of powerful, lightweight, and versatile handheld outdoor power equipment for homeowners and professional users. STIHL products are sold through independent servicing power equipment retailers from coast to coast – not mass merchants. STIHL products sold through U.S. STIHL dealers are for distribution in the United States only. For more information or for the name of the closest STIHL retailer call toll free 1-800-GO STIHL (1-800-467-8445) or visit STIHL's Web site at
www.stihlusa.com
.
STIHL Inc. is the official underwriting sponsor of the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series. The series airs throughout the year on the ESPN2 cable network, and the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Collegiate Series airs on ESPNU. The STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® SERIES is the pinnacle event in lumberjack sports. Since 1985 the Series has grown to become the premier showcase of the decades old sport of lumberjacking with competitions held around the world.
The term TIMBERSPORTS® is a registered trademark owned by ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KG. and refers to the series of disciplines and competitions that are part of the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series. As such, it should not be used as a generic description of the overall sport of lumberjack sports. This trademark refers to all modifications of the term TIMBERSPORTS such as timber sports, or timbersport. The term TIMBERSPORTS should always appear in conjunction with "STIHL."
About Carhartt, Inc
Established in 1889, Carhartt, Inc. exists to provide best-in-class, durable products for the active worker. Carhartt is a family owned, consumer focused, global company that is respectful of its heritage. We lead the way in developing durable, premium, high quality products and services for workers on and off the job. Headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., with more than 4,500 employees worldwide, Carhartt is privately owned and managed by the descendants of the company’s founder, Hamilton Carhartt. For more information, visit
www.carhartt.com
.
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