Disciplines

The STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® SERIES is a multi-discipline competition consisting of six disciplines, where the athletes have to prove their competitive ability with the axe and the saw. Strength, endurance and the perfect handling of the technical equipment decide on victory or defeat.

Find out the most important tips and tricks of each discipline..

Standing Block Chop

This discipline simulates felling a tree with an axe. A vertically secured block of wood (diameter 30 cm) has to be chopped through from both sides as quickly as possible. Optimum placing of the axe and a powerful swing are the factors that ensure rapid success in this discipline. Top athletes take less than 20 seconds.

STIHL Stock Saw

In this discipline all the contestants use the MS 660, a standard STIHL chainsaw. After allowing the saw to warm up it is then placed on the ground. On the "Go" signal it is seized and applied to the wood (diameter 40 cm). Two cookies (discs of wood) of a certain thickness must be sawn from the horizontal tree trunk in one down cut and one up cut.

Underhand Chop

This discipline simulates cutting up a felled tree. The athletes stand on a horizontally positioned block and must cut through a 32 cm thick trunk with their axe. The block has to be chopped from both sides. Cutting through from one side only leads to disqualification in this discipline. The best European times in the underhand chop are under 20 seconds.

Single Buck

The single buck is a massive 2 metre long one man saw. With this, the athletes have to cut off a complete disc from a 46 cm log. The perfect mix of rhythm and strength are key to success.

Springboard

In this discipline, two springboards are slotted one below the other into a vertical tree trunk. The aim is to cut through a block of wood on top of the trunk (diameter 27 cm) at a height of about 2.80 m above the ground. Springboard is also described as the "supreme discipline" because as well as precise technique and strength, it also requires balance and skill from the athlete.

Hot Saw

This discipline uses specially tuned, extremely powerful chainsaws. The aim is to cut three cookies of a specified thickness from a horizontally positioned trunk (diameter 46 cm) as quickly as possible. The particular appeal of this discipline is controlling the concentrated power of the chainsaw (up to 62 hp). With a chain speed of 240 km/h and a weight of approx. 27 kg, these machines demand maximum performance from the athletes.