#STIHL Timbersports®
Meet The Chopperoos Taking On The Big Autumn Clean Up
In between taking on STIHL’s Big Autumn Clean Up, we took time out to chat to STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Champions Brad De Losa, Brayden Meyer, Laurence O’Toole, Jamie Head and Glen Gillam. From favourite movies, to what inspires them and all their STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® PBs, learn more about the amazing Chopperoos teammates.
Brad De Losa
STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Champion & Event Management Business Owner
Hometown: Lithgow, NSW
A family friend introduced Brad De Losa to STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® after noticing his talent for woodchopping. Now Brad is the most successful STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Athlete in Australia. He is a two-time Australian Champion, winning the 2013 individual World Championship and has broken the record of winning three titles in the Champions Trophy format. He is a key member of the Choperoos Team, who have won five Team World Championships.
Brad loves the comradery of STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®, and competing around the world has afforded him the opportunity to travel and meet new mates along the way. The element of competition pushes Brad to be better, which explains why he has gone on to break Australian records across multiple STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® disciplines. When Brad isn’t competing, you’ll find him racing around on his dirt bike, or doing odd jobs around the garden.
Q & A with Brad:
- What is your favourite STIHL product to use in the garden?
The MS 181 STIHL Petrol Chainsaw - What is your favourite Gardening activity?
Mowing the lawn - Who is your role model?
Chad Reed - What would your superpower be?
To see the future
Brayden Meyer
STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Champion & Arborist
Hometown: Broadford, VIC
At just 19 years old, Brayden Meyer burst onto the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® scene in 2015 winning the inaugural Australian Championship. He then represented Australia in the individual 2015 World Championship in Poland where he placed third. In 2016 he won the World Champions Trophy in Austria. Brayden is the newest member of the Chopperoos team, helping them win their latest World Championship in 2018.
Brayden loves everything about the sport; particularly the friends he has made and the opportunity to travel and compete all around the world. He was first introduced to STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® by his uncle, who used to participate himself. When Brayden (or “tubs”, as his friends call him) is not chopping wood, he is playing AFL with his mates or tending to trees as a professional Arborist.
Q & A with Brayden:
- What is your favourite STIHL product to use in the garden?
The MS 201 T STIHL Petrol Chainsaw - What is your favourite movie?
The Shawkshank Redemption - What is your favourite Gardening activity?
Tree Removal - Who is your role model?
Jonathan Brown - What would your superpower be?
Super Strength
Laurence O’Toole
STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Champion & Arborist
Hometown: Doncaster, VIC
With over 300 titles to his name, Laurence O’Toole is one of the most successful Woodchoppers in Australia. In 2018 he added to his list of achievements by winning the individual World Champion title, as well as the team World Champion title as part of the Chopperoos. Now, with five team World Championships to his name, Laurence is almost a full-time professional athlete, travelling the world and competing at an international level.
Laurence is a proud third generation Woodchopper and second generation awarded World Champion after his father. One of Laurence’s earliest memories of woodchopping was when a fellow STIHL World Champion stayed with his family and took photos of Laurence woodchopping aged only four or five.
Laurence (or “Junior”, as his friends and family call him) is an avid fisherman and gardener who enjoys edging his lawn with his favourite gardening tool; the STIHL FSA 85 Battery Grass Trimmer. An outdoor man through and through, Laurence keeps his skills in check as a professional Arborist.
Q & A with Laurence:
- What is your favourite movie?
Talladega Nights - Who is your role model?
Roger Federer - What would your superpower be?
Super Strength - How did you get into STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®?
Dale Ryan introduced me to the sport - What is your favourite thing about STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®?
Getting to attend all the different events around the world with my teammates
Jamie Head
STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Champion & Construction Manager
Hometown: Redcliffe, QLD
Jamie Head is a fourth-generation Woodchopper who has been wielding an axe since he was eight years old, and his passion for STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® has only grown stronger with age. Jamie was in the Chopperoos team in 2016 and 2018 leading both teams to gold with his exceptional stocksaw skills.
Jamie also prides himself on being an amateur gardener. Armed with his Pole Pruner he enjoys removing dead limbs and pruning his trees in his spare time. Jamie likes all things fast and packed with power, with his favourite STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® discipline being the Hotsaw and motorbike riding his favourite pastime.
Q & A with Jamie:
- What is your favourite STIHL product to use in the garden?
The STIHL HTA 85 Battery Pole Pruner - What is your favourite movie?
Shooter - Do you have a nickname?
Jim - What is your favourite Gardening activity?
Mowing - Who is your role model?
Laurence O’Toole - What would your superpower be?
Read Minds
Glen Gillam
STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Champion & Tradie
Hometown: Toongabbie, VIC
Glen Gillam is one of the most successful Woodchoppers in Australia. In Glen’s words, he was “Knee-high to a grasshopper, four years old cutting Mum’s apple tree down”, when he first began woodchopping. He holds the Australian record in his favourite discipline – the Underhand, and in 2018 Glen added the Australian and World STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Championships titles to his growing list of accolades.
Glen takes great pride in his garden and loves pottering around with his trusty HSA 25 Cordless Shrub Shears, tidying up his shrubs and hedges. His second favourite thing to do in the garden is to just lay back on his hammock and relax.
Q & A with Glen:
- What is your favourite STIHL product to use in the garden?
HSA 25 Cordless Shrub Shears - Favourite movie?
Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back - Who is your role model?
Tyson Fury - What would your superpower be?
Teleportation - What are your hobbies outside STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®?
Fishing - What is your favourite thing about STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®?
The friendships I’ve cultivated
Watch the Chopperoos take on The Big Autumn Clean Up.
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