Ninh explains, the Rules of STIHL Timbersports The object of the game is to be faster than
your opponents in each different event.
Timbersports, sponsored by the chainsaw company STIHL, and sometimes referred to as the Lumberjack
games, is a series of wood-chopping contests designed to test power, speed, balance and
skill.
They comprise of the following 6 events: The Stock Saw
Competitors use standard consumer chainsaws to cut two discs from a 40cm wooden log in
the fastest time possible.
Competitors are allowed to start the chainsaw before laying it on the floor.
Both hands must be on the log prior to starting the contest.
When the gun goes off, the competitors must grab the chainsaw and cut two complete discs
from the log.
You only have 10cm wood to work with and if you cut over the 10cm line, you are disqualified.
You can also be disqualified for not cutting a complete disc.
The person who completes the two cuts in the fastest time, is the winner.
The Standing Block Chop.
The classic test of speed and power.
Competitors use a single wood axe to cut through a 30cm log in the fastest time possible.
When the referee says so, competitors must try and completely chop through the wooden
block.
The fastest way to do this, is to cut halfway through one side and then to cut the rest
from the other side.
Any mistakes here are costly, so each swing of the axe is crucial.
The person who cuts through the block in the fastest time is the winner.
The Single Buck Competitors use an old style 6ft cross-saw
to cut a disc out of the block in the fastest time possible.
When the referee says so, competitors must try and saw a complete disc through the 46cm
wooden block.
They may have an assistant on hand to lubricate the saw and to wedge the wood apart if necessary.
The person who cuts through the block the fastest is the winner.
The underhand chop.
Competitors use a single wood axe to cut through a log that they’re standing on, in the fastest
time possible.
When the referee says so, they must try and completely chop through the 32cm wooden block.
The fastest way to do this, is to cut halfway through one side and then turning around to
cut through the other.
The person who cuts through the block the fastest is the winner.
And yes, they do this without cutting their own foot off.
The Springboard.
Competitors must reach the top of a 9ft log, before cutting through its diameter in the
fastest time possible.
Competitors using a single wood axe, will first chop a small hole (known as a pocket)
to wedge a springboard to stand on.
They will then climb onto the board and chop another pocket and repeat the process.
Once they reach the top, they then have to completely cut through the 27cm diameter log
to finish.
The pockets must be solid, as any mistakes here will cost you valuable time in the contest.
You’ll need power, speed and more importantly balance and dexterity in order to win at this
event.
The person who does this the fastest is the winner.
The Hot Saw On the surface, this looks exactly like the
stock saw, but there’s a few major differences.
Firstly, the chainsaws are now bigger, faster and heavily modified, which makes cutting
through wood like cutting through butter.
The block diameter is bigger at 46cm.
And you now have to carve three complete discs instead of two out of 15cm of wood.
As per the stock saw, competitors start with both hands on the log.
But when the gun goes off, you have to manually start the chainsaw first, and then proceed
to cut the three discs out of the wood.
Just one mistake can cost you the event, especially with a machine this powerful, so great skill
is required to evenly cut discs in the fastest time possible.
As with the stock saw, the fastest time wins.
Points are awarded to each competitor depending on the position that they finish in each event.
In general, the highest score after all 6 events, wins.
That’s basically the gist of it, but there’s a few other things you need to know before
contesting in or watching Timbersports.
For example.
DID NOT FINISH If a competitor is unable to finish, either
through physical exhaustion, injury or equipment malfunction, this is known as ‘did not finish’
and does not score any points.
Disqualification Competitors can be disqualified for breaking
the rules.
The most common as mentioned earlier are not cutting complete discs, or cutting through
the limit lines.
Disqualified competitors also score no points.
The STIHL Championship.
In the final round of the STIHL Timbersports Championship, there’s a new points system
and format that determines the overall winner.
All competitors compete in the underhand chop, the stock saw, and the standing block chop.
The top 8 competitors with the most points qualify for round 2, where they will contest
the single buck and the springboard.
Points are worth double in round two.
The top 6 competitors from round two contest in the final event - the hot saw, where points
are now worth triple.
All the points are added up and the highest scoring competitor is crowned the overall
champion.
Relay There are competitions where teams can compete
against other teams in the aforementioned disciplines.
The standard format of events is the stock saw, the underhand chop, the single buck and
the standing block chop.
But other competitions may have more or less events.
Once the referee tells you to go the first person contests the stock saw, once they have
finished, the next competitor starts the underhand chop etc.
The team who completes all events the fastest is the winner.
If you have found this video at all helpful, please be sure to like, share and subscribe.
It takes me ages to make one of these things and good karma is very much appreciated.
If you’re also on Reddit, you can post this video and discuss it there.
But in the meantime, enjoy Timbersports.
Ninh Ly – www.ninh.co.uk - @NinhLyUK