About STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®

Often referred to as the original extreme sport, sports logging is a tradition that
goes back over a hundred years when, at the end of the 19th century, forest
workers began to compete with each other at axe and saw in their free time.
The roots of the sport are in Australia and New Zealand – from here it spread
to Canada and the USA. From improvised beginnings, around a dozen sporting
disciplines evolved, including those that simulate the felling and cutting of
trees. To succeed in these disciplines, athletes must be skilled in handling the
tools and material wood, while possessing great strength, endurance and a
precise technique.

According to the Australian Axemen's Association, one of the first traditional
competitions took place in Tasmania in 1891. Today, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®
is an international extreme sport competition series in sports logging.
This is where the best athletes compete; it has the most viewers and
enjoys the greatest media interest. In 1985, STIHL USA launched the STIHL
TIMBERSPORTS® Series in the USA together with the sports channel ESPN
while in Europe, the 2020 competition series is in its 20th year.

The competitions now take place on four continents, with around 2,000
athletes from over 20 countries taking part. At the national and international
top-class competitions in sports logging, athletes compete for the best
times with up to three axe and three sawing disciplines. These classic axe
competitions include Springboard, Underhand Chop and Standing Block Chop,
with saws including the Single Buck (pull saw), the Stock Saw (commercially
available chainsaw) and the Hot Saw (up to 80 hp, tuned chainsaw).