The professionals in the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series compete in five regional professional qualifiers at the same venues as the five Collegiate Series events. This means that the professional athletes from the region will be competing against each other for the chance to go to the U.S. championship.
Athletes compete in a variety of disciplines based on traditional logging skills to determine the best all-around lumberjack. Disciplines include hot saw, single buck, springboard chop, standing block chop, stock saw and underhand chop.
Because of the growing popularity of the Series around the world and growth of other international competitions, starting in 2011, the U.S. Series is open to U.S. athletes only in the regional qualifiers. The World Championship competitions are the venue for international competition. There are 50 total open slots, 10 from each region, for professionals looking to compete and qualify for the championship.
Since Australia and New Zealand do not currently have STIHL TIMBERSPORTS competitions of their own to select a national champion to send to the World Championships, there are two spots reserved for each those countries at the U.S. championships venue in 2011.
The selection of STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series competitors have always been coordinated between the Granite State Lumberjack Show staff and our competitor advisory group. Athletes are ranked, and then divided up with ten athletes per region based on ranking and home location. The top four individuals from each region then move on to the championship venue to make two championships pools of 10. The top 4 from those pools will then move on to the Championship round. The top US chop / saw competitor advances to the World Championship competition in Holland.
On the final day of the Championship venue, the four individuals from each region will compete in a relay competition to determine the top group from around the country.
Past Series Champions
1985 - Mike Sullivan
1986 - Mel Lentz
1987 - Rolin Eslinger
1988 - Mel Lentz
1989 - Rolin Eslinger
1990 - Mel Lentz
1991 - Mel Lentz
1992 - Mel Lentz
1993 - Rolin Eslinger
1994 - Matt Bush
1995 - Mel Lentz
1996 - Harry Burnsworth
1997 - Jason Wynyard
1998 - Jason Wynyard
1999 - Jason Wynyard
2000 - Jason Wynyard
2001 - David Bolstad
2002 - Jason Wynyard
2003 - David Bolstad
2004 - David Bolstad
2005 - Jason Wynyard
2006 - Jason Wynyard
2007 - David Bolstad
2008 - David Bolstad
2009 - Jason Wynyard
2010 - Jason Wynyard