Kody Steers - round 3 preview

Steers believes anything's possible ahead of Round 3

Round 3 see's the 2016 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Championship pass the half way mark and our reporters caught up with Kody Steers to see how his preparations are going ahead of the round at Ipswich Supercars on 22-24th of July.

You're currently equal fifth on the championship ladder, do you think you can catch the top four?
KODY: Not sure. There's a bit of distance between the top four and bottom four, but if I have a few good performances anything is possible.

Are you happy to battle it out for the fifth spot on the Australian team?
KODY: Definitely would like to catch up but it may end up a battle for the fifth spot.

You had a bit of a disappointing day in Tasmania, what went wrong?
KODY: Quicker to ask me what went right! Most things went wrong. I had a shocker. Broke the handle on my Hot Saw. It wasn't my day!

Are you better prepared for Round 3?
KODY: Yes. I've been doing a fair bit of training and focusing on my weaker disciplines – Springboard, Single Buck and Stock Saw. I am more prepared going into this round than the others.

Is your How Saw fixed after the handle came off in Round 2?
KODY: Yes. Got a new one so have a few little things to do to get it right.

What's it like owning a Hot Saw? Time consuming?
KODY: It was to start with. And then you get the headaches that come with it.
So far, I haven't had the best run as a Hot Saw owner. It's stressful and I'm still learning.

What are your thoughts on how you have been competing in the competition so far?
KODY: I've gone well in patches. Overall I'm not entirely happy but I've had some good events over the past two rounds. Definitely recognise I need to do a lot of training and improve across the board. I haven't had a DQ yet so that's a bonus.

How have you been training for Round 3? Have you changed your technique, added anything new to your regime, focused on a particular discipline?
KODY: I haven't changed anything in particular, just picked things up a bit.
I went to a show in Queensland run by Jamie Head and I went OK in the Spring Board, so that was great competitive training for me. You can train as much as you want at home but nothing beats training competitively against other athletes.

How many hours a week are you training?
KODY: Weather permitting I'd say six days a week, one to two hours each day.

Biggest concern going in to Round 3?
KODY: The Hot Saw. Everything else should run OK. If I can get that going OK then it should be a good round.

Who do you see as your greatest threat?
KODY: Based on past rounds anyone in the top four. Brayden Meyer and Jamie Head are looking good. Laurence O'Toole has been chopping a fair bit recently so he'll be in good form.

What does it mean to you to win the title of Australian Champion?
KODY: It would mean a fair bit. I take each round as it comes and I try not to worry too much about the title win. I'm focusing on a top five position.

What does it mean to you to make it on the Australian team and compete in the World Championship?
KODY: That would be a great achievement and honour. It would be the highest achievement of my wood chopping career.

Has anything extraordinary happened in your life outside TIMBERSPORTS – got married, had a child?
KODY: Well, I turn 21 in a month - which is only the week after Round 3.