Virginia Beach, Va. (May 21, 2009) STIHL Inc. today announced the six collegiate lumberjacks who will compete in the 2009 national championship of the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Collegiate Challenge presented by Carhartt. The championship will take place during the professional STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® U.S. Championships in Columbus, Ga. June 20-21. The winner of the Collegiate Championship will earn a spot in the 2010 professional STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series.
Western champion David Green from Central Oregon Community College; Mid-Western champion Adam LaSalle from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Wildcard pick Logan Scarborough from North Carolina State; Southern champion Brad Sears from the University of Arkansas-Monticello; and Mid-Atlantic champion, Montgomery Community College’s Matt Slingerland will chop and saw their way through four professional STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series disciplines for a slice of the 2009 national collegiate champion title.
“Two of the six collegiate contenders will be competing in the Collegiate Championship for the second time, which will really intensify the competition,” said Roger Phelps, promotional communications manager for STIHL Inc. “The Collegiate Series becomes more competitive every year, and we truly see the best collegiate talent in lumberjack sports.”
Karboski and Slingerland will compete for the second time in the Collegiate Championship. Slingerland tied for second place with Adrian Flygt in the 2008 Collegiate Championship and Karboski tied for first with Jay Blackburn in the 2007 Collegiate Championship, but placed second after finishing a split second behind Blackburn in a stock saw saw-off.
The 2008 collegiate champion was Matt Bolton, native of Canandaigua, NY and student at Paul Smith’s College. He posted top scores in all three of the collegiate disciplines. With this runaway victory, Bolton secured a berth in the 2009 STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Professional Series that begins in Lehi, Utah in June. Bolton’s times were very near pro level which, according to Phelps, showed the growth in the Collegiate Series’ ability to act as a proving ground for future professionals.
Since its inception in 2003, the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Challenge on ESPNU identifies the top collegiate lumberjacks and provides them with an opportunity to advance in the sport and join the ranks of the professional STIHL TIMBERSPORTS elite.
The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Challenge includes five qualifying events and runs from the fall of 2008 to the summer of 2009. The Collegiate Series travels to schools around the country to challenge amateur lumberjacks in head-to-head competitions to determine the best all-around collegiate lumberjack.
Each athlete who qualifies for the Collegiate Championship receives travel and lodging compensation for themselves and a coach, vouchers for professional lumberjack competition equipment, training session with competitors from the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series and a check for $1,000 sent to their school in their name with the funds to be applied toward the scholarship or program of their choice.
The entire 2009 season of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series will begin to air on ESPNU following the Collegiate Championship. The 2009 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Challenge broadcast schedule is:
|
Date
|
Time
|
Event
|
|
June 26, 2009
|
7:30-8 p.m. EDT
|
2009 Central/Midwest qualifier hosted by Michigan Tech University, Sept. 29, 2008
|
|
July 3, 2009
|
7:30-8 p.m. EDT
|
2009 Southern qualifier hosted by Alabama A&M University, March 12, 2009
|
|
July 10, 2009
|
7:30-8 p.m. EDT
|
2009 Western qualifier hosted by Humboldt State University, March 20, 2009
|
|
July 17, 2009
|
7:30-8 p.m. EDT
|
2009 Mid-Atlantic qualifier hosted by Allegany College of Maryland, April 18, 2009
|
|
July 24, 2009
|
7:30-8 p.m. EDT
|
2009 Northeast qualifier hosted by Dartmouth College, April 25, 2009
|
|
July 31, 2009
|
7:30-8 p.m. EDT
|
2009 Collegiate Championship in Columbus, Ga., June 19-21, 2009
|
Fans of the series can also get the latest information and up-to-date news and video on all the competitions by signing up for the Quick Cuts e-newsletter at
www.stihltimbersports.com
.
Join the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Mobile Community now by texting STS to STIHL (78445) and get the latest news, alerts and special offers direct to your mobile device. Standard mobile service provider rates apply.
For more information, go to
www.ESPNOutdoors.com
and click on TIMBERSPORTS , or visit
www.stihltimbersports.com
.
The 2009 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Challenge championship competitors are:
|
Region
|
Competitor
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Western
|
David Green
|
Central Oregon Community College
|
Sisters, Ore.
|
|
Northeast
|
Curtis Karboski
|
Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smith’s, N.Y.
|
Parish, NY
|
|
Mid-Western
|
Adam LaSalle
|
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in Stevens Point, Wis.
|
Williamstown, NY
|
|
Wildcard Pick
|
Logan Scarborough
|
North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C.
|
Polkton, NC
|
|
Southern
|
Brad Sears
|
University of Arkansas-Monticello in Monticello, Ark.
|
Des Arc, Ark
|
|
Mid-Atlantic
|
Matt Slingerland
|
Montgomery Community College in Troy, N.C.
|
Rockwell, NC
|
About STIHL Inc.
STIHL Inc. manufactures the world's largest selling brand of chainsaws 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 the
dealer locator
on the STIHL 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 companys founder, Hamilton Carhartt. For more information,
www.carhartt.com
.
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