Stihl Timbersports Series

Did You Know?

• The world record for Hot Saw is 4.83 seconds, set by Adam Lethco in 2022 with a wood diameter of 19".
• The Series is recognized as the longest running show on ESPN other than SportsCenter.

History

Stihl Timbersports began in 1985, with early broadcasts from a field in Wisconsin using a single camera on a forklift. Initially there was no overall Series championship; awards were given for individual events at venues around the country. Stihl envisioned a series that would bring the best athletes together to compete in multiple events to determine the overall champion. With help from Granite State Lumberjack Shows, the Series evolved into a prestigious competition. European athletes have participated since 2005. A collegiate series involving over 60 teams in the US and Canada was created, with the winner receiving an automatic seed into the next year's professional series. The Canadian Series introduced its first Women's Professional Division in 2013, and 2017 marks the creation of its first Women's Professional Division. The Series celebrated its 30th anniversary in spring 2015.

About

The Stihl Timbersports Series features both men and women, split into three groups: Men's Rookie, Men's Professional, and Women's Professional. The Women's Professional Division competes in three or four events: Underhand Chop, Single Buck, Stock Saw, and, when included, Standing Block Chop. Men in the Rookie Division tackle four events: Underhand Chop, Standing Block Chop, Single Buck, and Stock Saw. The Men's Professional Division handles six: Underhand Chop, Standing Block Chop, Spring Board, Single Buck, Hot Saw, and Stock Saw. To join, athletes submit an application and a resume listing their best times for each discipline. From there, the top eight competitors from the East Coast and top eight from the West Coast are selected per division. Men's Professional athletes go straight to the National Championship. For the Men's Rookie and Women's Professional divisions, qualifier competitions on each coast decide who advances—the top four from each coast earn a spot at Nationals. There is no age limit for the Men's or Women's Professional divisions, but the Men's Rookie Division caps at age 25. Currently, no world championship exists for top female competitors. Men's divisions aim for the World Men's Championship and World Rookie Championship, held each fall in the European Union. Winning the World Rookie Division forces a move up to the Men's Professional Division. Men's Professional athletes also compete for places on Team Canada for the World Relay Champion's Trophy, also held in Europe each fall.

Events

The Series includes six disciplines. In Springboard, the competitor uses two spring boards to ascend a nine-foot pole and chop a 12-inch diameter block from the top, chopping from both sides. In STIHL Stock Saw, competitors start with both hands on the log and, at the signal, use identical STIHL MS661 C-M chain saws with a 20-inch bar and 33RSC3 chain to make two cuts through identical logs, cutting no more than 4 inches of wood marked by a black line. In Underhand Chop, the competitor stands on a 12- to 14-inch log, chops through it, then turns and completes the cut from the other side; time ends when the log is severed. In Single Buck, competitors make one cut through 18 to 20 inches of white pine using a single-person crosscut saw, with a helper allowed to wedge the log and keep the saw lubricated; time ends when the block is severed. In Standing Block Chop, competitors chop through 12 to 14 inches of white pine from both sides; time ends when the block is severed. In Hot Saw, the competitor uses a customized chain saw with a modified engine, starts it at the signal, and makes three cuts, cutting no more than 6 inches from the log marked with a black line.