WORLD'S BEST ATHLETES HEAD TO STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
FOURTEEN TO COMPETE FOR PRESTIGIOUS TITLE

Date: September 2006
Release Date: IMMEDIATELY

00-0207

Press Contacts:
Anita Gambill (757) 486-9151 or
Terry Kelley (757) 340-7425
All other inquiries:
STIHL Incorporated
(757) 486-9100

Virginia Beach, Va. – The calling is irresistible.  The field is powerful! The folklore is legendary! Fourteen athletes representing their respective countries around the world will converge in Oberstdorf, Germany to take part in the second annual STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series World Championship September 16, which will air in Europe on the Eurosport network and in the U.S. and Canada on ESPN2 in December.

Oberstdorf, Germany is, perhaps, best known for being the site of the infamous “Agony of Defeat” fall featured for more than 25 years on ABC’s Wide World of Sports when Vinko Bogataj fell during the ski jump in 1970. Despite Oberstdorf’s dubious history, these fourteen powerful STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® legends are intent on turning the city into the town of champions as lumberjack sports best competitors descend on this quiet ski town with the thunder and fury that American audiences have come to know as the best outdoor sports entertainment on the planet.

“Super” Dave Jewett will be representing the United States by virtue of his finish as the top American qualifier in Stillwater, Minn. in August at the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series Championship. He will be joined by series regulars, Dale Ryan of Australia, Gaston Duperre of Canada, Martin Komarek of the Czech Republic and Hermann Schoenbachler of Switzerland. The European crowd is looking forward to seeing Jason Wynyard who defended his championship in Stillwater taking the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series title for the sixth time.

Rounding out the field will be national champions led by crowd favorite Dirk Braun of Germany, Gilles Giguet of France, Kurt Graf of Austria, Spanish Champion Jose´ Risgo, Rik van Drielen representing BeNeLux, Arkadiusz Drodzek of Poland, Britain’s Spike Milton and Jens Johanson of the Netherlands.

“I’m looking forward to competing with the best in the world,” said Jewett. “Keeping the world title in the U.S. is my goal, but there is some very stiff competition this year. And everyone has improved over the past season. It should be a great event!” American Matt Bush won the first World Championship last year in Virginia Beach.

What is the difference between the American STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series and the World Championship? “The fans aren’t as raucous, but they are very knowledgeable about the events. They immediately know when something isn’t going right for a competitor. You also see many different techniques in chopping and sawing that you don’t see in the American competitions,” said Jewett.

ESPN2 will also be on hand to capture all the action and will air the World Championship along with the American STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series Championships on December 17 and airing again on December 22. This is the 21st year ESPN has covered STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® events.

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