Referees and rules

STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® has a set of rules that is standardised worldwide and which applies to all official competitions in this series. Our referees – called judges – generally work in teams of two or three to ensure compliance and correct interpretation of the rules, as well as making sure the sport is practised safely in competitions.

Referee Andy Hall at the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Championship 2018

Advanced technology helps the referees make their decisions

With STIHL TIMBERSPORTS^®, it often comes down to hundredths of a second. To support the judges in their decisions, advanced technology is used in the competitions. Comparable with the video systems used in the football Bundesliga and time measurement at the Olympic Games, high-speed cameras record what’s happening on the stage, and the judges use these cameras to immediately check the final heat and officially confirm the time.

On top of this, the Global Judging Team constantly reviews and refines the rules so that athletes always compete under fair conditions. As part of its work and among other activities, the team meets once a year outside the competition arena to discuss the previous season. The Global Judge Team currently comprises

Spike Milton (GBR) – Global Sports Director
Andy Hall (GBR)
Radu Cazacu (ROM)
Dr. Richard Hallett (USA)
Bart Jansen (NED)
Sjuul Jansen (NED)
Dr. Jörg Kurzenberger (GER)
Selwyn Wayne-Smith (GBR)

More about STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®

Springboard discipline at a TIMBERSPORTS® Event

Hot Saw discipline at the TIMBERSPORTS® Event

Competitors sawing at the Timbersports® World Championships.

The 6 disciplines

At STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® events, athletes compete in up to six disciplines depending on the competition format. Three disciplines are performed using an axe, three with a saw.

competition power tools

Competition power tools for STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® are usually specially manufactured saws and axes that are used exclusively for the competitions.

Events and dates

The best athletes compete internationally in competitions such as the World Trophy. Several competitions take place in Germany every year, leading to the German championship.