#STIHL Timbersports®
The Chopperoos Head To Prague For The World Championships
In the early hours of Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd of November (AEDST), the world’s top STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® athletes will descend on Prague to contest the Team and Individual World Championships. The Australian Chopperoos will enter the competitions as favourites having won both titles in Liverpool, England in 2018.
Brayden Meyer sets his sights on Gold
Flying the flag in the Individual Championship this year is Victorian, Brayden Meyer. He beat reigning World Champion, Laurence O’Toole, at this year’s Australian Championship to deny O’Toole the chance to defend his crown. “I’m looking forward to the challenge in Prague. Beating Laurence (O’Toole) and the other guys in Australia is half the job done, now it’s time to show the world I’m capable of winning the world title”. Meyer will be competing in his third Individual World event in the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® series. In 2015 he placed 3rd at the World Championships in Poland at just 19 years of age. He followed the podium spot in Poland with his first Individual World event win in the Champions Trophy a year later in St. Johan, Austria. Whilst the Champions Trophy win was a major achievement for Meyer, it is the World Championship that every STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® athlete wants to win. “I’ve had a taste of success on the World Stage with the podium in Poland and the Gold in St. Johan, but I really want to be crowned the individual world champion in Prague, to win would be the highlight of my TIMBERSPORTS® career.
Meyer will take on 11 competitors from across the globe with the full line up now confirmed after the completion of all National Championships. 27 countries now host STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® competitions, but only the top 8 ranked Europeans and national champions from New Zealand, USA and Canada qualify for the Individual World Championship each year.
Meyer’s 11 opponents are Ben Cumberland (Canada), Michał Dubicki (Poland), Christophe Geissler (Switzerland), Shane Jordan (New Zealand), Danny Mahr (Germany), Koen Martens (Belgium), Elgan Pugh (Great Britain), Pierre Puybaret (France), Martin Roušal (Czech Republic), Cassidy Scheer (USA) and Ferry Svan (Sweden).
The national championships threw up a number of surprises across the globe. Cassidy Sheer broke the winning streak of Matt Cogar at the U.S. Championship, local Czech hero Martin Komarek placed second to Martin Roušal, Canadian heartthrob, Sterling Hart missed out, and all three Championships were decided by DQ’s in the Hotsaw for the favorites.
New Zealand and Canada also provide fresh faces this year, with Shane Jordan filling the considerable boots of the nine-time World Champion Jason Wynyard and 2016 Rookie World Champion Ben Cumberland competing in his first world championship for Canada. Also making their debut in the Individual Event are Poland’s Dubicki, Sweden’s Svan and Germany’s Mahr, whilst Elgan Pugh is once again the Great Britain representative, having been the best performing European athlete throughout the TIMBERSPORTS® season.
Chopperoos looking to hit the competition for SIX
In the Team World Championship, the Chopperoos will be looking to claim their sixth World Title. Last year they produced an electrifying performance and set a new world record on their way to winning, pipping the USA to the title in the final. This year’s team sees just one change from the world record breaking team with Queenslander, Mitchell Argent, called into the team after his impressive display at the Australian Championship this year.
Brad De Losa is once again captain of the Chopperoos and thinks the 2019 team is as strong, if not stronger, than last years. “The team this year has great strength in every discipline. Jamie Head was extremely unlucky to miss out after being part of the team last year, but with Brayden competing in the individual competition, the selectors felt we needed another world class axe man in Mitch (Argent) to ensure Brayden can save his energy for the individual championship if needed. Laurence (O’Toole) will be our stock sawyer this year, Brayden on the Underhand, Myself on the Singlebuck and big Glen (Gillam) and his big axe on the Standing Block. It’s a strong team and if all goes to plan we should be in good shape to defend the title in Prague” De Losa said.
However, De Losa knows the World Championship win isn’t a sure thing, 19 other nations including local rivals New Zealand, last year’s runner ups Team USA and hosts Czech Republic will all be looking to knock the Chopperoos of the top spot. “Every year we have to get faster and faster because the rest of the world are getting closer to us, New Zealand have a fresh new team this year and will be looking to make up for last years disappointment in the semifinal against USA. And we know the Czech team led by Martin Komarek will be spurred on by the passionate local supporters”.
Full Chopperoos Team:
- Brad De Losa – Team captain – Discipline: Single Buck / Stocksaw
- Brayden Meyer – Discipline: Underhand Chop / Stocksaw
- Laurence O’Toole – Discipline: Stocksaw / Single Buck
- Glen Gillam – Discipline: Standing Block / Underhand Chop
- Mitch Argent – Discipline: Standing Block / Underhand Chop
Tickets for the 2019 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Championship are almost sold out with only limited availability for the Team Event on Friday 1st November. Day tickets are available for 490 CZK at www.stihl-timbersports.com.
Schedule – Local Time (Prague):
- Friday 1st November: Team World Championship 2019, 07:00 pm local time
- Saturday 2nd November: Individual World Championship 2019, 07:00 pm local time
Schedule – Australian Time (AEDST):
- Saturday 2nd November: Team World Championship 2019, 05:00 am (AET)
- Sunday 3rd November: Individual World Championship 2019, 05:00 am (AET)
Location:
Industrial Palace, Výstaviště, 170 00 Praha 7-Bubeneč, Czech Republic
Live stream:
Team and Individual World Championship will be streamed on:
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