Williamsport, Pa. (May 5, 2010) – Tim Benedict of Penn State-Mont Alto won the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Challenge presented by Carhartt and will advance to the Collegiate Championship 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 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Challenge hosted by Penn College of Technology was a tight, back-and-forth competition between Benedict and Daniel Jones of Haywood Community College that ended in appropriate lumberjack fashion, a tiebreaker saw-off. Benedict won the tiebreaker by a mere second and walked away with the ultimate bragging rights. With this dramatic victory, Benedict received a $1,000 scholarship from STIHL for his school.
Benedict recapped the day for ESPN Outdoors, "It was intense," he said. "It was head-to-head, which is what it's all about."
At Penn College’s School of Natural Resources Management, five regional colleges and universities selected their top lumberjack to go chop-for-chop and saw-for-saw in the four professional disciplines of the single buck, standing block chop, stock saw and underhand chop. Competitors were judged based on the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Professional Series rules. ESPNU cameras were onsite to document the pulse-pounding competition. The 2010 Collegiate Series will be televised this summer beginning June 25.
“Penn College hosted a great event,” said Brad Sorgen, event organizer for STIHL Inc. “The action was non-stop throughout the day and the competition was closer than ever.”
Since 2003, the Collegiate Series has traveled to college campuses across the country to seek out the best amateur lumberjack 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 addition to the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Challenge, the Collegiate Series consists of four other 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
• 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 in Salem, Ore., Aug. 27-29
The winner of the each regional Collegiate Challenge event will earn a spot in the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Championship held in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Professional Series at the Oregon State Fair Aug. 27-29. At the Collegiate Championship, the five regional winners and one wildcard pick will go head-to-head to claim the 2010 Collegiate Championship title. The winner will earn a place in the professional ranks in the 2011 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series presented by Carhartt.
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® Collegiate Mid-Atlantic Challenge Results
Tim Benedict, Penn State University-Mont Alto, 18 points*
Daniel Jones, Haywood Community College, 18 points*
John Young, Montgomery Community College, 8 points
Scott Cessna, Allegany College of Maryland, 8 points
Matthew Daubert, Penn College of Technology, 4 points
*The overall winner was determined by a stock saw off since Benedict and Jones were tied for first place. Benedict won the tiebreaker by one second.
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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