Lehi, Utah (May 21, 2009) – Thanksgiving Point will welcome athletes from around the world for the 24th season of the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series presented by Carhartt, June 5-6, as part of Thanksgiving Point’s annual Wild Outdoors Festival. In addition to the lumberjack competition, the festival will feature Splash Dogs canine athletes and several outdoor interactive activities.
The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series returns for a second straight year to Thanksgiving Point as a stop on its national series tour. The athletic competition brings together 32 professional athletes to compete in six head-to-head traditional lumberjack disciplines, including the single buck, stock and hot saw, underhand, standing and springboard chops. Two specialty disciplines, the boom run and speed climb are also held featuring eight lumberjills in the boom run and eight climbers in the speed climb. ESPN2 will film on location to air Sunday, Nov. 15 at noon EST. (Dates and times are subject to change.)
“Thanksgiving Point was a great host to us last year, and we’re excited to return for a second year,” said Roger Phelps, promotional communications manager, STIHL Inc. “We received strong community support in Utah for the Series and the sport of lumberjacking. We also enjoyed the beautiful natural backdrop that Thanksgiving Point has to offer.”
The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series will be augmented with several interactive outdoor-related activities at the annual Wild Outdoors Festival. New to the festival this year are Splash Dogs and a mechanical bull. Other interactive activities include archery and ATV courses sponsored by Park’s Sportsman.
“As an active out-of-doors population, Utahns are naturally drawn to the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series. The location is an important part of our promotional strategy to attract national attention to the state through sporting competition,” said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of sponsor Utah Sports Commission. “We’re excited this event will again be hosted at Thanksgiving Point, which will highlight the beauty of our state to millions of national and international television viewers.”
All activities for the Wild Outdoors Festival, including the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series and Splash Dogs, are included in the price of admission: $15 for adults, $10 for children (ages 3-12). Tickets can be purchased at the Thanksgiving Point box office, online at ThanksgivingPoint.org or by calling (801) 768-4900. Tickets will be available at the door. Doors open for the Festival at 10 a.m. and the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series kicks off at 1 p.m.
For more information, visit
www.ThanksgivingPoint.org
and
www.stihltimbersports.com
.
About STIHL Inc.
STIHL Inc. manufactures the world's largest selling brand of chain saws and produces a full line of powerful, lightweight, and versatile handheld outdoor power equipment for homeowners and professional users. STIHL products are sold through independent servicing power equipment retailers from coast to coast – not mass merchants. STIHL products sold through U.S. STIHL dealers are for distribution in the United States only. For more information or for the name of the closest STIHL retailer call toll free 1-800-GO STIHL (1-800-467-8445) or visit STIHL's Web site at
www.stihlusa.com
.
STIHL Inc. is the official underwriting sponsor of the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series. The series airs throughout the year on the ESPN2 cable network, and the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Collegiate Series airs on ESPNU. The STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® SERIES is the pinnacle event in lumberjack sports. Since 1985 the Series has grown to become the premier showcase of the decades old sport of lumberjacking with competitions held around the world.
The term TIMBERSPORTS® is a registered trademark owned by ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KG. and refers to the series of disciplines and competitions that are part of the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series. As such, it should not be used as a generic description of the overall sport of lumberjack sports. This trademark refers to all modifications of the term TIMBERSPORTS such as timber sports, or timbersport. The term TIMBERSPORTS should always appear in conjunction with "STIHL."
About Thanksgiving Point
Created in 1996 by Alan and Karen Ashton, Thanksgiving Point is the cultural gathering place for the community, promoting the renewal of mind and spirit in a beautiful and family-friendly setting. Thanksgiving Point is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing guests with interactive opportunity for discovery and an entertaining educational experience in a variety of arts and sciences. Thanksgiving Point is located just off I-15 at the Point of the Mountain. For more information call (801) 768-2300 or visit ThanksgivingPoint.org.
####
