Mont Alto

Timbersports competitions coming to Mont Alto April 16-17

Penn State Mont Alto will host a collegiate Woodsmen's Meet as well as the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series Mid-Atlantic Qualifier this coming weekend, April 16 and 17.

Thewill begin with the 10th annual Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen's Meet on April 16. The event will feature the Mont Alto Woodsmen team and four other college teams from the region, including Montgomery and Haywood Community Colleges from North Carolina, Allegany College of Maryland, and Pennsylvania College of Technology. The events start at 8 a.m. and will run through 5 p.m.; they include the team log roll and pulp toss, axe throw, pole climb, chain saw, single buck, and more. One athlete from each participating team will be chosen to go head-to-head in Sunday's STIHL TIMBERSPORTS College Series qualifier (see below). Click here for a full event schedule. The event is open to the public and free of charge; spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. On April 17, the Mont Alto campus will host the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series Mid-Atlantic Qualifier, one of its five regional qualifying events, on the campus' intramural field at the corner of PA Route 233 North/Park Street and Slabtown Road. The event will be covered by ESPN2 and ESPNU. It is a free event and open to the public; spectators are encouraged to bring a lawn chair. According to Stihl, the regional events are "where the best professional and collegiate lumberjacks will qualify for a place in their respective Championship at the Oregon State Fair, Aug. 26-28, 2011."

Spectators of the event will see:

Professional Series Qualifiers: Ten of the region’s best professional lumberjack athletes will compete in six professional lumberjack disciplines, with the top four advancing to the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series U.S. Championship. The Professional Series airs on ESPN2. Professional lumberjack Tom Oliver, a Penn State Mont Alto alum and resident of Palmyra, Pa., will compete.

Collegiate Series Qualifiers: The five participating colleges and universities will select their best collegiate lumberjack to go head-to-head in four professional disciplines, with the top contender advancing to the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Championship. The Collegiate Series airs on ESPNU. At last year's event, Mont Alto's Tim Benedict captured the Mid-Atlantic title and competed in the national championship, finishing sixth.

For events and series details, visit http://www.stihltimbersports.us/ online, and the event page at Penn State Mont Alto here.

Penn State Mont Alto alumnus Tim Benedict competing at the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series qualifier last season. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated April 12, 2011

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