The 2015 STIHL Timbersports Australian team are off to Poznan, Poland to compete against the world’s top lumberjacks from more than 20 nations. Over 100 athletes will meet in Poznan, Poland on the 13th & 14th of November (the early hours of 14th and 15th November in Australia) to represent their respected countries, to determine the 2015 World Champion in the team and the individual competition.

The first day of the competition, will see the elite lumberjack athletes from all over Europe as well as New Zealand, the USA, Canada and of course Australia, competing against one another in the team contest at the city’s Congress Centre. The team Competition for the STIHL Timbersports World Championship consist of 4 disciplines Stock Saw, Standing Block Chop, Single Buck & Underhand Chop. With each team member designated to their strongest discipline (if possible) for their best chance to take the win home for their country.

The 2014 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Australian team won the gold last year in Innsbruck with an impressive time of 56.80 seconds betting the Canadian’s by 1 second. This year’s competition will be just as fierce with the New Zealand team looking to improve on a very disappointing competition last year where a DQ cost them in the first round. Team USA & Team Canada will be tough opponents once again but the Aussie team are looking strong favourites to bring home the trophy this year!

This year’s 2015 STIHL Timbersports Australian team has 2 new members that are determined to show the TIMBERSPORTS world that they are ready for the challenge. 20-year-old Brayden Meyer took first place at the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Australian Championship at Bathurst in October & showed that despite his age he is a force to be reckoned with. The world’s Fastest Lumberjack Brad De Losa came in second place in the championship & won the Champions Trophy yearly this year. Then there is the newest member to the STIHL Timbersports Team, Mitch Argent 21 years of age, who came in third place at the Aussie Championship followed closely in fourth place by the experienced Laurence O’Toole who was in the winning team at Innsbruck last year. Laurence O’Toole is confident with this years team and that they have what it takes, "We've got a solid team this year, a good mix of youth and experience, anyone can cover any discipline so we'll look to rotate the team in the early round and keep everyone fresh and hopefully we'll be firing for the win if we make the final." - Laurence O'Toole. Rounding out the Team of 5 is Jaime Head from Queensland who has also competed at the World Championships in previous years.

Brand Activation Manger for STIHL Australia Lee Gooch said - " We've got a great trip planned for the guys, we'll be spending some time in Prague with Czech Competitor Martin Komarek where he's setup a training camp, there we'll have a few run throughs of the team format and the experienced guys will help prepare Brayden for the individual Competition''

On the second day of the World Championship, the twelve best international athletes will battle for the title and medals in the individual competition. Each day’s contests will last about three hours and will be streamed live online through the STIHL website.

In the individual competition for the World Championship in Poznan and in the ten or so national championships that took place around the world between March and October the athletes have to complete in six disciplines – Springboard, Stock Saw, Standing Block Chop, Single Buck, Underhand Chop and Hot Saw.

Brayden Meyer will represent Australia in the individual event this year, Brayden is no stranger to the World Championship he was with the team last year in Innsbruck and helped the Team win gold. Brayden is ready to step up to the plate to compete against some of the strongest STIHL TIIMBERSPORTS athletes that have a few more years experience than Brayden, but that will not deter the young gun. Brayden Meyer – “I am training as hard as I can & I think I am ready, my biggest competition over in Poland would probably Jason Wynyard. A lot of the guys have 20 years experience on me. I am only the young feller but hopefully Ill come out number 1 and hold that trophy.”

The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS World Championship is in the elite division of lumberjack sports that attracts up to 10,000 spectators to the live events, with millions of fans regularly following the competitions on Eurosport and other television stations worldwide. Spectacular disciplines to thrill spectators The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series is an international competition series in lumberjack sport, which has a long tradition. The history of the first contests dates back to 1870. The first Wood chopping World Championship took place in Tasmania in 1891. From there, logging sport took off around the world. Even today, nearly all the disciplines - three with the axe and three with the saw - replicate traditional forestry activities.  

If you want to follow the action make sure you like the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Australia Facebook page to keep update on the latest news on all things TIMBERSPORTS.