IT'S ON FOR YOUNG AND OLD THIS WEEKEND AT THE 2016 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® FINAL CHOP
This weekend sees the ‘final chop' of the 2016 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® season, at the Sydney 500 Supercars, Olympic Park – Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 December 2016.
It will be a weekend of highs and lows as the country's top axe men swing into action.
The excitement gets underway on Saturday with the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®
2017 Pro Tour Qualifier. Nine of the best athletes in the country will battle it out for the five remaining spots on the 2017 Pro Tour. Securing their spot on the tour takes them one step closer to the Chopperoos team and representing Australia at the 2017 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Championship in Norway next November.
Despite being crowned World Champions in Germany only a matter of weeks ago, there will be no special treatment for Queenslanders Jamie Head (Rothwell) and Mitch Argent (Blackbutt). Both Chopperoos team members will be fighting harder than anyone to retain their spot on the tour and the team next year.
They will be competing alongside some old Pro Tour favourites as well as some new faces to the circuit and state-round winners.
On Sunday, it's time for the up and coming stars to shine. Australia's top eight athletes aged under 25 years, will be competing for the coveted title of 2016 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Australian Rookie Champion.
This win guarantees the champ a ticket to the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Rookie World Championship being held in Europe early 2017. Here, they will represent Australia, competing against seven other top Rookies in the world, for the World Champion title.
Tasmania's Andrew Kelly - the current STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Rookie World Championship runner up - is hot favourite to take the title this weekend but a controversial new ruling means that Andrew isn't allowed to return to the World Championship stage. This paves the way for fresh talent to represent Australia in 2017.
Lee Gooch, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Event Manager said, "What a weekend of top action we have in store. It will be exciting to see the young men who are the future our sport perform alongside their heroes – our current stars. I'm sure there will be techniques and tips passed on to the new crop of elite axe men. STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® is growing in popularity and so we want to nurture our home-grown talent. The greater the range of talent we have, the stronger and more competitive we become".
Competing this weekend will be:
Saturday 3rd December 2016
2017 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Pro Tour Qualifier
Jamie Head Rothwell, Qld
Mitch Argent Blackbutt, Qld
Matthew Gurr Deloraine, Tas
Kody Steers Sheffield, Tas
Glen Gillam Toongabbie, Vic
Brad Turner Buninyong, Vic
Lindsay Hewitt Wamuran, Qld
Justin Beckett Congewai, NSW
Dale Beams Winkleigh, Tas
Some of the big guns of the sport, Brad De Losa (Lithgow, NSW), Laurence O'Toole (Doncaster, Vic) and Brayden Meyer (Broadford, Vic), have already secured their places on the 2017 Pro Tour.
Sunday 4th December 2016
2016 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Australian Rookie Championship
Andrew Kelly Westbury, Tas (24 yrs)
Daniel Beams Winkleigh, Tas (20 yrs)
Daniel Gurr Deloraine, Tas (19 yrs)
Josh Bakes Sheffield, Tas (19 yrs)
Jack Argent Blackbutt, Qld (18 yrs)
Tom Wilkinson Rothwell, Qld (23 yrs)
Blake Marsh Millfield, NSW 23 yrs)
Brendan Marsh Millfield NSW (16 yrs)
EVENT TIMES
Saturday 3rd December 2016
2017 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Pro Tour Qualifier
10.30 – 11.15: Springboard
11.30 – 12.00: Stock Saw
12.45 – 13.15: Standing Block Chop
13.20 – 13.50: Single Buck
13.55 – 14.25: Underhand Chop
14.30 – 15.00: Hot Saw
Sunday 4th December 2016
2016 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Australian Rookie Championship
10.00 – 10.25: Stock Saw
10.30 – 10.55: Standing Block Chop
11.30 – 11.55: Single Buck
12.00 – 12.25: Underhand Chop