Virginia Beach, Va. (May 24, 2010) – STIHL Inc., creator and owner of the premier lumberjack sports competition, the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series presented by Carhartt, today announced the field of competitors who will compete in the 25th anniversary season of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series. The Series’ quarterfinals, semifinals, U.S. Championship and Collegiate Championship will take place during the Oregon State Fair’s opening weekend Friday, Aug. 27-Sunday, Aug. 29.
Thirty-two choppers/sawyers, six collegiate competitors, eight boom runners and eight speed climbers will converge on Oregon’s capital to chop, saw, climb, and run their way in to the record books for the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series’ silver anniversary. This year’s roster promises to be more dynamic than ever with multiple-title winning lumberjacks, a jeweler, a defense attorney, a personal trainer, a dental hygienist and multiple collegiate champions.
“We have an extremely impressive field of competitors for this anniversary event,” said Roger Phelps, promotional communications manager for STIHL Inc. “Many of our participants have been competing for years, some have been around since we created the series, and what is really exciting are the new faces breaking into the sport that bring new intensity to the competition every year.”
The field of competitors includes eight-time defending STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series Champion and current World Champion Jason Wynyard from New Zealand and current U.S. STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series Champion Arden Coger, Jr. from West Hamlin, W. Va. Adam LaSalle, the 2009 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Championship winner will take his place among the professional elite as part of the sport’s development program, where the Collegiate Champion earns an automatic spot in the following year’s professional series. Alyse Schroeder and Derek Knutson, both from Hayward, Wis., will also defend their STIHL TMBERSPORTS Series boom run and speed climb championship titles.
The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Professional Series quarterfinals, semifinals and U.S. Championship will take place over three days challenging lumberjacks in six chopping and sawing disciplines: hot saw, single buck, springboard chop, standing block chop, stock saw and underhand chop with the top overall competitor being crowned the 2010 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series champion and the top U.S. competitor named the 2010 U.S. champion. Both title holders will advance to the 2010 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series World Championships presented by Carhartt in Austria Friday, Sept. 3 through Sunday, Sept. 5.
The 2010 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series will also culminate at the Oregon State Fair. The national competition pits five regional collegiate champions and a wildcard pick against one another in four professional disciplines: single buck, standing block chop, stock saw and underhand chop with the top contender earning the title of 2010 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series champion and an automatic ticket to the 2011 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series.
Celebrating 25 years as the original extreme sport, the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series has the distinction of being of the second longest running program on the ESPN network after SportsCenter. Since its inception, the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series has challenged the world’s best competitors in lumberjack sports. The sport continues to grow and is now hosted in 19 countries.
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.
Get the latest information and up-to-date news and video on all the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series competitions by going to
www.ESPNOutdoors.com
and clicking on TIMBERSPORTS, or visiting
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.
The 2010 STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Professional Series Choppers/Sawyers
Justin Beckett, Paxton, New South Wales, Australia
Bill Bischoff, Celesta, British Columbia, Canada
David Bolstad, Taumarunui, New Zealand
Arden Cogar, Jr., West Hamlin, W. Va.
Matthew Cogar, Diana, W. Va.
Brad DeLosa, Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia
Gaston Duperre, Shipsaw, Quebec, Canada
Mike Eash, Coatesville, Pa.
Robert Ebner, OhelmannsRausen, Germany
Mike Forrester, Idleyld Park, Ore.
Christophe Geissler, Aigle, Switzerland
Warrick Hallett, Glencoe, Minn.
Kerry Head, Redcliffe, Queen’s Land, Australia
Mitch Hewitt, Chase, British Columbia, Canada
Dave Jewett, Pittsford, NY
Shane Jordan, Stratford, New Zealand
Martin Komarek, Milevsko, Czech Republic
Dion Lane, Waitakeie City, Massey, New Zealand
Adam LaSalle, Ely, Minn.
Mel Lentz, Diana, W. Va.
Jean-Pierre Mercier, St. Etienne, Quebec, Canada
David Moses, Snoqualmie, Wash.
Laurence O’Toole, Manitowoc, Wis.
Will Roberts, Groton, NY
Dale Ryan, Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia
Branden Sirguy, Port Angeles, Wash.
Jeff Skirvin, Clatskanie, Ore.
Mike Slingerland, Rockwell, NC
Cecil Starr, Sebright, Ontario, Canada
Mike Sullivan, Winsted, Conn.
Nathan Waterfield, Cherry Valley, NY
Jason Wynyard, Massey, Auckland New Zealand
The 2010 STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Collegiate Championship Competitors
Kory Garrie of Southern Illinois University, Mid-West Champion
Tim Benedict of Penn State University-Mont Alto, Mid-Atlantic Champion
David Green of Central Oregon Community College, Western Champion
Jon Preston of Paul Smith’s College, Northeast Champion
Logan Scarborough of North Carolina State University, Southern Champion
Tyler White of SUNY-Cobleskill, Wildcard Pick
The 2010 STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series Boom Runners
Jenny Atkinson, Stillwater, Minn.
Taylor Duffy, Janesville, Wis.
Tanya Fischer, North Pole, Alaska
Olivia Judd, Minneapolis, Minn.
Shana Martin, Madison, Wis.
Katie Rick, Plymouth, Minn.
Alyse Schroeder, Hayward, Wis.
Mandy Sobiech, Onalaska, Wis.
The 2010 STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series Speed Climbers
Brian Bartow, Lake Oswego, Ore.
Guy German, Omaha, Neb.
Stirling Hart, Mission, British Columbia
Derek Knutson, Hayward, Wis.
Andrew Mattison, Avon, NY
Cassidy Scheer, Hayward, Wis.
Bryce Smith, Orlando, Fla.
Wade Stewart, Nanoose Bay, British Columbia
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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