Steve Bullman

Elgan Pugh continued his dominant STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® winning streak by being crowned the best logger sports athlete in the country for the sixth consecutive time at the 2021 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship. Live streamed from the Telford International Centre, extreme sports fans got to see up close the top 11 TIMBERSPORTS® athletes from all over Great Britain compete in a head-to-head race against time across six disciplines. Using an axe, crosscut saw and chainsaw, competitors are awarded maximum points for the fastest time in each discipline; Stock Saw, Underhand Chop, Single Buck, Standing Block Chop, Springboard and Hot Saw. The fast-paced action saw the athletes set 29 personal best times to the delight of the large online audience. Elgan claimed top spot with a consistent performance across all disciplines, with Glen Penlington taking the second spot on the podium for the first time. An ecstatic Tom Redmond took third place in his first professional TIMBERSPORTS® event. In a change of format for this year, live stream viewers also had the added bonus of watching the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Rookie Championship, which saw the top eight rookie lumberjacks battle it out for the crown. With 24 personal best times and one national record set, the competition was a great spectacle, with Jordan Muscato being crowned the overall winner. Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB, said: “After a one-year hiatus, it was great to have STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® action back and all the athletes, both professional and rookie, put on a great show, showcasing their talent and highlighting why they are competing at the highest level. “We’re delighted for Elgan and Jordan on their fantastic achievement. Elgan’s focus now turns to the World Trophy European Qualifier in Switzerland on Sunday 12th September where he and Glen Penlington will be aiming to qualify for the 2022 World Trophy.” Elgan said of his victory: “It was great to be back in action this year and to be crowned the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Champion for a sixth time is a feeling I don’t take for granted. I have trained hard to make sure I was competition ready and it’s great that it has paid off.” To find out more about the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series please visit https://blog.stihl.co.uk/timbersports/ STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship - the six disciplines: Springboard – athletes slot two springboards into a vertical tree trunk then chop through a block of wood at the top of the tree, nearly 3m above the ground Stock Saw – athletes race to cut two timber “cookies” with a chainsaw from a horizontally set log Standing Block Chop – simulating the felling of a tree, athletes race to chop through a 30cm wood block as quickly as possible from the side Single Buck – athletes race to cut through a 46cm diameter log using a two-metre long single man crosscut saw Underhand Chop – athletes stand on a horizontal log and cleave it in two with an axe, chopping from both sides Hot Saw – athletes race to cut three cookies from a horizontal trunk using an extremely powerful custom-built chainsaw weighing nearly 30kg and with a chain speed of around 250 km/h

Surrey Wildlife Trust is delighted to announce the launch of its Wild Surrey artist and photographer of the year 2022 competition. Supported by STIHL, the competition is open to anyone seven and upwards and aims to showcase the most inspiring nature themed art and photography in Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust is looking for incredible images of wildlife and nature in Surrey which tell a story, create an emotional response, show the unexpected or help us understand the importance of taking urgent action for climate change. Intrigue us with insects in action, an abundance of bees, beetles and butterflies. Surprise us with unexpected animal behaviour from Surrey’s reptiles, birds or mammals. Evoke atmosphere and a sense of place with beautiful wild surroundings in Surrey, from your garden to the North Downs, the vast heathlands or chalk grasslands, to wildflower meadows, rivers and lakes. Or imagine a vision for Surrey’s nature in streets, schools, businesses, towns and cities, transforming a space for nature or reducing the impact of climate change. Open for entries from 1st September 2021, pick up your paint brushes or pastels again. Create a digital masterpiece, experiment with mixed media or set up your smartphone camera to take up the challenge of becoming Wild Surrey Photographer or Artist of the Year 2022. Sophie Coad, events manager at Surrey Wildlife Trust, said: ‘The eternal beauty and power of nature has always been so inspiring to artists. During lockdown, we have become closer and more connected to nature through our daily walks, appreciating its value to our mental and physical health. Art has played a similar role for many, so I cannot think of a better way to deepen our connection with nature through the using our creativity and inspire others to take positive action to help the climate and ecological crises we are facing. This is the perfect opportunity to express your feelings for nature by creating powerful images of a future where people and nature live in harmony.’ Simon Hewitt, head of marketing at STIHL GB, commented: ‘At STIHL, we are always keen to support organisations that have a focus on maintaining areas of nature and creating landscapes for both wildlife and the local community, so we are thrilled to be the lead supporter of the Surrey Wildlife Trust’s Wild Surrey Artist and Photographer competition 2022. ‘As a leading manufacturer of landscaping equipment used by many local authorities and grounds keeping teams to cultivate these areas of natural beauty, we are excited to see the diverse range of entries and wish all the artists and photographers taking part the best of luck.’ The closing date for entries is 1st March 2022. Shortlisted entries and the winners will be exhibited online and at the Lightbox in Woking from 9th to 22nd May 2022. To find out more about each category and to enter visit www.surreywildlifetrust.org.uk, Facebook or Instagram @SurreyWildlifeTrust Instagram and Twitter @SurreyWT

After a one-year hiatus, the best lumberjack athletes across the nation are back to compete for the crown at the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship in September, as they chop and slice their way through large logs in seconds using a combination of axes, saws and sheer strength. The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship will be live streamed from the Telford International Centre on Sunday 5th September, allowing extreme sports fans the opportunity to see the live action up close and at no cost. This year’s event will see top logger sports athletes battle against each other in six challenging disciplines; Stock Saw, Underhand Chop, Single Buck, Standing Block Chop, Springboard and Hot Saw. In celebration of TIMBERSPORTS® action returning to UK audiences, STIHL has launched a limited-edition STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® chainsaw bar, available on the MS 201 T, STIHL's most powerful arborist chainsaw, as well as separately. The TIMBERSPORTS® design has been added to the Rollomatic E 35cm 3/8p 1.3mm bar and is the perfect choice for action sports fans replacing their bar or treating themselves to a new saw. To take home the top prize and be crowned the best TIMBERSPORTS® athlete in the UK, competitors are awarded maximum points for the fastest time and must display power, skill, precision and endurance in all six disciplines. Competitors will include five-time British champion Elgan Pugh, who is aiming to win his sixth consecutive STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship. To add even more excitement to the event, the 2021 Rookie Championship will also take place on the same day and will be available on the live stream, giving TIMBERSPORTS® fans access to more action than ever before. The top nine rookies from around the country will compete against each other across four of the six TIMBERSPORTS® disciplines, accumulating points in each round based on their placing in each discipline. The athlete with the most points at the end of the fourth round will be crowned the 2021 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Rookie Champion. Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB, said: “After a tough 18 months due to the pandemic, we are really excited to have the British Championship back and to give the fans access to the exciting live TIMBERSPORTS® action they have been missing. The live stream event will allow extreme sports fans to get as close to the action as possible and all the athletes are determined to put on a great show! “The athletes have had extra time to prepare due to the postponement of last year’s event, so we’re expecting them to be more fiercely competitive than ever and push themselves to new limits. It should make for a great spectacle and I wish them all the best of luck!” To register for the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship 2021 live stream event, visit www.facebook.com/events/STSBritishChampionship2021. For more information on the STIHL MS 201 T featuring the limited-edition STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® chainsaw bar, please visit www.stihl.co.uk/MS-201-TC-M-Chainsaw. STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship - the six disciplines: Springboard – athletes’ slot two springboards into a vertical tree trunk then chop through a block of wood at the top of the tree, nearly 3m above the ground Stock Saw – athletes race to cut two timber “cookies” with a chainsaw from a horizontally set log Standing Block Chop – simulating the felling of a tree, athletes race to chop through a 30cm wood block as quickly as possible from the side Single Buck – athletes race to cut through a 46cm diameter log using a two-metre long single man crosscut saw Underhand Chop – athletes stand on a horizontal log and cleave it in two with an axe, chopping from both sides Hot Saw – athletes race to cut three cookies from a horizontal trunk using an extremely powerful custom-built chainsaw weighing nearly 30kg and with a chain speed of around 250 km/h

SAFETY INFORMATION: CASES OF SLIPPAGE WITH ZIGZAG / ZIGZAG PLUS / ZILLON Petzl has issued a safety information alert after receiving reports of users experiencing rope slippage while using the ZIGZAG, ZIGZAG PLUS, and ZILLON. Petzl has identified two defects causing the slippage and asks that all users do a manual inspection and a function test on your products, to detect any possible slippage. More information can be found at the following link, detailing the points that require inspection, along with details on Petzl's after-sakes returns service. Product recalls and safety alerts We have received reports of users experiencing rope slippage while using the ZIGZAG, ZIGZAG PLUS and ZILLON. Following these reports, we have identified two defects causing the slippage. We therefore ask you to do a manual inspection and a function test of your product, to detect any possible slippage. In case your product slips, we are providing details on our after-sales returns service. - Petzl United Kingdom WWW.PETZL.COM Petzl United Kingdom. We have received reports of users experiencing rope slippage while using the ZIGZAG, ZIGZAG PLUS and ZILLON. Following these reports, we have identified two defects causing the slippage. We therefore...

STIHL has enhanced its extensive clearing saw range with the launch of the new FS 561 C-EM, the most powerful model the manufacturer has produced. Offering landscaping professionals and groundskeepers greater performance and durability, as well as the power to clear any obstacle, this new product boasts a number of new features. STIHL’s new FS 561 C-EM clearing saw offers a powerful and precise performance, with a best in class cutting diameter of 560mm, increased storage and improved visibility. Designed to tackle the toughest clearing jobs, this model features a new gearbox design offering a revised gear ratio with improved sealing and bearing performance. With 2.8kW of power at the users fingertips and a 38mm reinforced shaft, this new model makes it ideal for clearing large areas quickly and efficiently. Designed with the user's comfort in mind, the FS 561 C-EM has a more robust clutch housing, making it the perfect tool for heavy usage and long run times. With a new and improved anti-vibration system, STIHL ErgoStart and a revised ergonomic bike handlebar allowing the machine to be easily guided, this model is excellent for mowing through grass or shrub or clearing forest stands. The FS 561 can be used with a wide range of STIHL cutting attachments, which can be fitted easily and quickly. Combined with the high power output and increased cutting diameter, work with the new clearing saw can be done efficiently and precisely. The FS 561 C-EM not only has a redesigned gearbox and a more ergonomic design, but it also has an easy starting process and stop button, a WoodCut 225-24 circular saw blade, and an ADVANCE PLUS forestry harness for optimal comfort. A STIHL M-Tronic 3.0 electronic engine management system is standard on this new model, which optimises ignition timing and fuel metering in all operating modes. External factors such as temperature, altitude and fuel quality are also taken into account, resulting in consistent engine performance, a consistent maximum speed, and excellent acceleration. For more information on STIHL’s range of clearing saws, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.