STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Launches Landmark 2026 Season with New Competitions and Expanded Women's Events

Kicking off in May in Virginia Beach and culminating in October in Stuttgart, Germany, the global
series celebrates STIHL's 100th anniversary with its most dynamic season yet

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® 2026 U.S. season kicks off with a packed slate of thrilling competitions, including the inaugural North American Women's Cup and Women's World Championship, the introduction of the Hot Saw Showdown event, and culminating at the Men's World Championships in Germany during the STIHL 100^th anniversary. The 2026 season will also include equal prize money for men and women at both the North American Trophy and U.S. Championships, underscoring the continued evolution of the sport.

North American Trophy at JACKALOPE Virginia Beach Fueled by Monster Energy | May 29–31 | Virginia Beach, Va.
The season opens May 29–31 at JACKALOPE Virginia Beach Fueled by Monster Energy, marking the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® debut at the extreme sports event. JACKALOPE Virginia Beach is free and open to the public, celebrating action sports and culture while bringing elite athletes and adrenaline-fueled competition to the Virginia Beach oceanfront.

STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® will host competitions across all three days of the festival at the 31^st Street Stage, featuring the best lumberjacks and lumberjills in North America. Sixteen men and eight women will compete in a rapid-fire format, testing power, precision and endurance across multiple disciplines.

Event Schedule:

• May 29 at 6:30pm (EDT) – North American Hot Saw Showdown
• May 30 at 1:00pm (EDT) – North American Women's Cup
• May 31 at 1:00pm (EDT) – North American Trophy

The weekend kicks off Friday with the high-octane Hot Saw Showdown, an elimination-style race in the sport's most electrifying discipline, where athletes use high-powered, custom-built chainsaws to slice through wood in seconds. The event comes on the heels of Nate Hodges' world-record-setting Hot Saw run in 2025, when he cut three discs in just 4.28 seconds – an elite benchmark in a discipline where even breaking five seconds is a rare feat.

Competition continues Saturday with the inaugural North American Women's Cup, marking a major step forward in the continued growth and visibility of women's competition within the sport. Athletes will compete across four disciplines, earning points in each event with the highest cumulative score determining the winner. The field includes reigning U.S. Champion Erin LaVoie – fresh off her second consecutive national title and fourth overall – alongside 2025 silver medalist Kate Witkowski and bronze medalist Martha King.

Sunday's North American Trophy will see the top male competitors from the U.S. and Canada go head-to-head in an individual relay race featuring four chopping and sawing disciplines – a grueling test of endurance and sheer determination to see who can make it to the top of the podium. Seven-time U.S. Champion Matt Cogar returns to defend his title, looking to maintain his dominance as a competitive field continues to close the gap.

Top athletes from both the North American Women's Cup and North American Trophy will earn the opportunity to represent their countries on the international stage, traveling to Budapest, Hungary, the following week to compete in the Women's World Championship and World Trophy.

"This season represents a major step forward for STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^®," said Adam Wolff, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® USA Team Manager. "As STIHL celebrates its 100th anniversary, we're also expanding opportunities for our athletes and fans – from new women's events and equal prize money payouts to the electrifying Hot Saw Showdown events and continued growth across the sport. At the same time, the level of competition continues to rise across the board, making this one of the most exciting seasons we've ever seen."

International Spotlight | June 5–6 | Budapest, Hungary
Momentum continues on the international stage in June with a marquee weekend of competition that showcases the sport's full pipeline – from emerging talent to the world's elite.

The international STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® calendar kicks off June 5 with the Rookie World Championship, where rising lumberjacks from around the globe compete on the sport's biggest stage.

On June 6, the spotlight shifts to a historic milestone with the inaugural Women's World Championship, reflecting the rapid growth of the sport and rising level of competition among its top female athletes worldwide. In recent years, competitors like Erin LaVoie have helped elevate the international field, dominating the Women's International Cup and setting a new standard for performance – paving the way for the creation of a standalone Women's World Championship.

The weekend culminates with the return of the World Trophy on June 6, one of the most anticipated events on the international circuit. Featuring the sport's top male athletes, the Trophy format delivers head-to-head, bracket-style racing through multiple disciplines in a fast-paced, fan-favorite showdown.

U.S. Championships at German Fest | July 24–26 | Milwaukee, Wis.
The action continues July 24–26 at German Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the nation's top athletes will compete for U.S. titles in one of the sport's premier events.

Set along the shores of Lake Michigan, the three-day festival celebrates German heritage, with STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® serving as a marquee attraction.

The weekend will once again kick off with a U.S. Hot Saw Showdown on July 24, building on the momentum of its recent introduction. Competition continues July 25 with the U.S. Women's Championship, followed by the U.S. Men's Championship on July 26, where athletes will battle for national titles and the opportunity to represent Team USA on the world stage.

Event Schedule:

• July 24 at 6:30pm (CDT) – U.S. Hot Saw Showdown
• July 25 at 6:30pm (CDT) – U.S. Women's Championship
• July 26 at 2:00pm (CDT) – U.S. Men's Championship

Athletes will compete across six disciplines: Stock Saw, Underhand Chop, Single Buck, Standing Block Chop, Springboard and Hot Saw.

World Championship at Porsche-Arena | October 30–31 | Stuttgart, Germany
The season culminates October 30–31 at the Porsche-Arena in Stuttgart, Germany, where the world's best STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® athletes will compete for international titles in STIHL's home country.

The Team World Championship on October 30 will see national teams face off in a fast-paced relay format, with Team USA aiming to challenge powerhouse Team Australia, which secured its sixth consecutive title in 2025.

The Individual World Championship follows on October 31, featuring the world's top 12 athletes competing across all six disciplines in a three-round elimination format. Athletes accumulate points based on performance, with the field narrowing after each round until one competitor claims the world title.

This year's championship carries added significance as it takes place during STIHL's 100th anniversary, celebrating a century of innovation and deep-rooted connection to forestry and working outside in nature.

A Season of Momentum
With rising competition across the globe, the introduction of a first Women's World Championship, expanded opportunities for female athletes and growing international visibility, the 2026 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® season promises unmatched intensity from start to finish.

During this milestone season, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® welcomes back sponsor John Deere and introduces new sponsor Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Fans can livestream all events throughout the season on the STIHL website at www.stihlusa.com or the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® YouTube and Facebook pages. Results for all competitions, domestic and international, can be found on the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^® database at data.stihl-timbersports.com.

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, the tools and the wood management please visit: www.stihl-timbersports.com.

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