STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® KICKS OFF 2024 U.S. SEASON WITH THE FIRST NORTH AMERICAN TROPHY EVENT

With a new international event, and intense rivalries in every division, the 2024 season looks to be one of the most extreme ever.  

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., April 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® 2024 United States season is kicking off with an epic showdown between two powerhouse nations in the sport. On May 4 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the most elite lumberjack athletes from the U.S. and Canada will battle it out at the 24^th Street Stage right along the famous oceanfront boardwalk in the inaugural North American Trophy event. For the first time ever, the top 16 men athletes from these two great nations will test their grit and endurance in the rapid-fire trophy format, where each athlete races through four sawing and chopping disciplines back-to-back in under 90 seconds. With a $60K prize purse on the line, only one athlete will earn the title, and the bragging rights, between the neighboring countries. The top-ranked athlete from both the U.S. and Canada will advance to compete in the 2024 World Trophy in Milan, Italy on May 25. 

A Milwaukee Tradition: STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Returns to German Fest in 2024  
For the second straight year, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® will return to German Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 26-28 for the U.S. Women's and Men's Championships. Featuring a three-day festival celebrating German culture and tradition along the beautiful shoreline of Lake Michigan, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® athletes will chop and saw their way to victory as the headlining event. The top 12 women in the nation will face off for the title on July 26 in the U.S. Women's Championship. The men will then take center stage on July 27-28 with an intense field of 24 competitors, all vying for the crown of the U.S. Men's Championship, with the winner representing the U.S. at the World Championships on November 8-9. 

The 2024 U.S. season launches in May with the North American Trophy, and ends in November, with the season finale at the World Championships in Toulouse, France.

• May 4: North American Trophy (Virginia Beach, Virginia).
• May 25: Rookie World Championship (Milan, Italy).
• May 25: World Trophy (Milan, Italy).
• July 26: U.S. Women's Championship (Milwaukee, Wisconsin).
• July 27-28: U.S. Men's Championship (Milwaukee, Wisconsin). 
• November 8-9: World Championships (Toulouse, France).

For the full U.S. schedule, visit: https://www.stihlusa.com/stihl-TIMBERSPORTS/schedules/.

"The 2024 season is launching with a bang at the North American Trophy," said Roger Phelps, corporate communications manager for STIHL Inc. "We are thrilled to welcome the Canadian athletes to Virginia Beach to compete against our top U.S. men. There's going to be some intense battles, and I'm sure there will be huge upsets on both sides. That's the best part about the trophy event, it tests the pure drive and determination of each athlete to continue fighting through each heat, and you never know who might win." 

Rivalries Intensify in 2024
The 2024 season will feature some of the most potent storylines in the sport ? with long-standing rivalries continuing, and strong younger competitors starting to come into their own. 

Third-generation lumberjack athlete Jason Lentz continues to dominate the U.S. series ? seeking to repeat as champion in the trophy format for the third consecutive year and be crowned as U.S. Men's Champion for the third time in four years. Lentz is primed to take on the world again this year ? despite his last World Championship title being secured in 2021, he's more motivated than ever before. Lentz will defend his U.S. titles against longtime rival and legendary seven-time U.S. Champion Matt Cogar, who is looking to return to the top of the podium after his last U.S. title in 2022. They will both continue to be challenged by up-and-comers such as Nate Hodges who is feverishly pursuing his first gold medal, after finishing second and third in the 2023 U.S. events. 

"Winning the last two U.S. Trophy events and the 2023 U.S. Championship is a testament to how hard I've worked these last few years," said reigning U.S. champion Jason Lentz. "My main goal this year is coming out on top, and nothing else matters. I'm at the top of my game and excited to take on the Canadians on our home turf." 

The U.S. lumberjills are also prepping for the season as fierce competition brews in the women's division. STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® legend Martha King ? fresh off of winning her third U.S. Championship, a record for the Women's Division ? is looking to continue to dominate the division and secure her first back-to-back title, warding off close rival Erin LaVoie, the 2021 and 2022 U.S. Women's Champion. New blood has also entered the field, with Hanna Quigley challenging the two top competitors in 2022 and 2023, continuing the quest for her first gold.

"Being the first woman in STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® history to win three gold medals is truly an amazing feeling, but I'm not done yet," said 2019, 2021, and 2023 U.S. Women's Champion, Martha King. "The competition continues to intensify year after year, and I'm working harder than ever to get number four. I'm going to give it everything I've got, and I'm looking forward to continuing to show women around the world that hard work and determination lead to success."

While lumberjack and lumberjill legends of the sport clash on the professional stage, the next generation is earning their stripes behind the scenes. The second annual U.S. Rookie Training Camp took place in March, with top-ranking rookie, Gavin Brumbaugh, representing the U.S. on the world stage for the second year in a row at the Rookie World Championship in Milan, Italy, this May. 

Livestream all U.S. and International Events  
The North American Trophy and U.S. Championships will be live-streamed on the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® YouTube and Facebook pages in real-time, along with all international competitions. Results for all competitions, domestic and international, can be found by visiting: data.stihl-timbersports.com.  

Additionally, fans can follow along for updates about the sport throughout the year on the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® website at www.stihlusa.com/stihl-timbersports and follow STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X. To catch up on the action from the 2023 season, fans can binge-watch all of the action on The Roku Channel.  

STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® is proud to welcome back returning sponsors Duluth Trading Company, John Deere, and Ace Hardware?for the 2024 season. 

About STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® 
STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®?is an international lumberjack sports competition series. Its roots lie in?Australia,?New Zealand,?Canada, and?the United States. Today the world's best athletes compete in national and international events featuring three axe disciplines and three sawing disciplines. Springboard Chop, Underhand Chop and Standing Block Chop are classic axe disciplines; Single Buck (single-man cross-cut saw), Stock Saw (STIHL MS 661 chainsaw) and Hot Saw (tuned, customized chainsaw with up to 80 horsepower) are sawing disciplines. Athletes compete against both each other and the clock. For more information on the sport and the U.S. season, visit www.stihlusa.com/stihl-timbersports.

SOURCE STIHL Timbersports ®