STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Southern Collegiate Challenge crowns a winner

Virginia Beach, Va. (March 27, 2009) – Brad Sears, a senior studying wildlife management and forestry at the University of Arkansas – Monticello became the Southern regional champion in the 2009 STIHL^® TIMBERSPORTS^®Collegiate Series presented by Carhartt, the premier lumberjack sports event that airs on ESPNU.

At the Alabama A&M University Agribition Center in Huntsville, Ala., the top lumberjacks from fifteen schools went head-to-head in four STIHL^® TIMBERSPORTS ^® professional disciplines vying for a slice of the Southern title. Sears bested University of Kentucky’s Jonathan Watts by a mere two points and Logan Scarborough from North Carolina State by five points as the competition ended late Thursday evening, March 12. Sears will represent the Southern region in the STIHLTIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Championship in Columbus, Ga. June 19-21.

“I’m honored to not only represent the University of Arkansas – Monticello and the other Southern schools in the Collegiate Championship in June, but also shed some light on my schools as we prepare to host the Southern meet next year,” said Brad Sears.

Since the inception of the Collegiate Series in 2003, Sears is the third student from the University of Arkansas-Monticello to win the Southern Collegiate Challenge. Additionally, the University of Arkansas-Monticello has the only accredited forestry program in the state of Arkansas.

The Collegiate Series includes five events and runs from the fall of 2008 to the summer of 2009. The Collegiate Series travels to schools around the country to challenge amateur lumberjacks in head-to-head competitions to determine the best all around collegiate lumberjack.

The amateur lumberjacks compete in four disciplines: the single buck, stock saw, underhand chop, and the standing block chop, a first-time event for the collegiate series, using professional rules and equipment. They are awarded points based on their finish in each event, and the individual with the best all-around score advances to the Collegiate Series Championship.

“The Southern qualifier is always exciting because of the amount of school spirit that these students have,” said Roger Phelps, promotional communications manager for STIHL Inc. “The excitement continued until the very end with the competition so close; it came down to the single buck, the final event, to determine the champion.”

Sears earned his school a $1,000 scholarship from STIHL and, for himself, a place in the STIHLTIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Championship to be held June 2009 in Columbus, Ga. He will join Adam LaSalle of University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point who won the Midwestern qualifier, David Green from Central Oregon Community College who won the Western qualifier and two others yet to be determined.

The winner of the Collegiate Championship event earns a spot in the 2010 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Professional Series.

The remaining 2009 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series events include:

• Mid-Atlantic hosted by Allegany College of Maryland in Cumberland, Md. April 18, 2009
• Northeast hosted by Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. April 25, 2009

The entire 2009 season of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series will air on ESPNU. Fans of the series can also get the latest information and up-to-date news and video on all the competitions by signing up for the Quick Cuts e-newsletter at www.stihltimbersports.com .

Join the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Mobile Community now by texting STS to STIHL (78445) and receive the latest updates in news, alerts and special offers direct to your mobile device. Standard mobile service provider rates apply.

For more information, go to www.ESPNOutdoors.com and click on TIMBERSPORTS, or visit www.stihltimbersports.com .

The final results from the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Southern Collegiate Challenge hosted by Alabama A&M University are:

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 the dealer locator on 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 Carhartt, Inc
Established in 1889, Carhartt, Inc. exists to provide best-in-class, durable products for the active worker. Carhartt is a family owned, consumer focused, global company that is respectful of its heritage. We lead the way in developing durable, premium, high quality products and services for workers on and off the job. Headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., with more than 4,500 employees worldwide, Carhartt is privately owned and managed by the descendants of the company’s founder, Hamilton Carhartt. For more information, visit www.carhartt.com .

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