Virginia Beach, Va. (May 7, 2010) – The STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series presented by Carhartt has selected Tyler White of SUNY-Cobleskill as the 2010 Collegiate Series wildcard pick. White will join five other regional collegiate champions this summer to contend for the coveted STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Championship title. 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 winner of the 2010 Collegiate Championship wins an automatic spot in the 2011 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Professional Series.
Upon being selected as the 2010 wildcard pick, White was speechless. When he later relayed the news to his woodsmen teammates, he recalled that his “school chant broke out and I was practically tackled to the ground.”
White will be facing stiff competition as he vies with Kory Garrie of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, the Midwest champion; David Green of Central Oregon Community College, the Western champion; North Carolina State’s Logan Scarborough, the Southern champion, Tim Benedict of Penn State-Mont Alto, the Mid-Atlantic champion; and Jon Preston of Paul Smith’s College, the Northeast champion to determine the nation’s top collegiate lumberjack.
At the Northeast Collegiate Challenge hosted by Paul Smith’s College, White finished first in the underhand chop, second in the standing block chop and third in the stock saw and single buck placing him second overall, only three points behind the top competitor.
A wildcard pick is selected to provide an even number of competitors for head-to-head action and to provide a second chance to competitors who may have performed well in the regional events but just missed securing the win. Selecting the wild card competitor is one of the most difficult decisions the head judges of the series are asked to make. They look at all the competitors across the country and compare their results by discipline times, making adjustments for wood species, size and condition. They also review the level of competition the athlete was up against during the event.
“Tyler’s impressive performance at the Northeast Collegiate Challenge put him in contention to be the 2010 wildcard pick,” said Brad Sorgen with STIHL Inc. “Ultimately, he earned his place against a great field of athletes.”
White credits a few noteworthy people for helping the team elevate its status, skill level and overall performance:
“With the introduction of Kevin Poole, our former advisor and coach, the hard work of a few individuals on our team and the guidance of Nathan ‘Bucket’ Waterfield (STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Professional Series competitor), our team has grown by leaps and bounds.”
SUNY-Cobleskill is just one of the 50-plus schools that compete in the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series. 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. The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series presented by Carhartt grooms student athletes to one day take their place among the professional elite. The Collegiate Series airs on ESPNU, which 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
.
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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 eNewsletter.
2010 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Championship Competitors
Kory Garrie, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Midwest/Central champion
David Green, Central Oregon Community College, Western champion
Logan Scarborough, North Carolina State University, Southern champion
Tim Benedict, Penn State-Mont Alto, Mid-Atlantic champion
Jon Preston, Paul Smith’s College, Northeast champion
Tyler White, SUNY-Cobleskill, Wildcard pick
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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