STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Champions Trophy 2017 in Hamburg

Australia's Brad De Losa wins the world's toughest logger sports competition

-Cross reference: Pictures are available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com)-

Hamburg, 20 May 2017. Brad De Losa from Australia won the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Champions Trophy in Hamburg on Saturday night. After winning the trophy in 2014 and 2015, the man from Down Under completed a hat-trick of Champions Rings in front of more than 1,200 spectators in the sold-out Cruise Center Altona in Hamburg. Canada's Stirling Hart had to settle for second place in what was a thrilling final against De Losa. Martin Komárek from the Czech Republic was the best European in third. The remaining places were taken by the world-class athletes from New Zealand, the United States, Switzerland, Germany and France.

In front of an enthusiastic crowd in Hamburg's Cruise Center Altona, it was 39-year-old Brad De Losa from Australia who claimed top spot at the Champions Trophy of the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series. After a series of intense knock-out duels, the man from Down Under met Canada's Stirling Hart in the final. In a lightning-fast time of 1:02.23 minutes he chopped and sawed his way through four wood blocks, finishing just 0.48 seconds ahead of his rival. Rounding out the podium in third was Martin Komárek from the Czech Republic.

World-class logger sports

"It is a great honour for me to win the Champions Trophy - this competition is incredibly hard. I trained a lot before the event, so it's a great feeling when all that hard work pays off. The other guys were really strong today and I am very happy that I was able to win again this year. Stirling pushed me all the way in the final," commented Brad De Losa. The phenomenal level of competition at the Champions Trophy in Hamburg was reflected in the fact that reigning World Champion Jason Wynyard from New Zealand was forced to settle for fourth place.

Top-class athletes compete with axe and saw

"At the end of the day, a few small slips resulting from the extreme physical demands cost me the win. Nevertheless, I am really happy with the result," said Stirling Hart after taking second place. America's Matt Cogar finished fifth. Martin Komárek lead the European field ahead of Swiss champion Christophe Geissler in sixth, German local favourite Dirk Braun in seventh and France's Roger Gehin rounding out the top eight.

Champions Trophy: thrilling head-to-head duels and nerves of steel

The Champions Trophy format requires athletes to combine endurance, precision and strength. They must complete four saw and axe disciplines from the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series back-to-back, with the winner of each duel progressing to the next round.

New STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Junior World Champion from Sweden

Before the Champions Trophy, it was the turn of the world's best logger sports rookies to take to the stage in Hamburg for the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Rookie World Championships. Sweden's Ferry Svan claimed gold ahead of Blake Marsh from Australia and George Williams from Canada. The field also featured athletes from the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland and France.

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STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® SERIES

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