Steve Bullman

The pinnacle of logger sports action, the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Championship, takes place in Toulouse, France on 8th and 9th November this year, and the athletes who will represent Great Britain in the Team event have now been selected. After going head-to-head against each other as rivals in the British Championship earlier this year, the top British athletes will now have to work together if they want to repeat their success on the world stage. In the Team World Championship, each team consists of four athletes who take on four TIMBERSPORTS® disciplines in a relay; the Stock Saw, the Underhand Chop, the Single Buck and finally the Standing Block Chop. The teams compete in knock-out rounds against each other, with the fastest team proceeding to the next round, so the athletes with the quickest times in their national championships stand the best chance of being selected to represent their country. British Pro champion Glen Penlington from Knighton, Wales took his third British title in a row in June at the Royal Three Counties Show, but it was his impressive times in the Underhand Chop, Single Buck and Standing Block Chop that guaranteed him a place in the team. Penlington was faster than his fellow competitors in all three disciplines, even delivering a new Personal Best time in the Single Buck, on his way to the top of the podium. With four other places on the team to be filled, including a reserve, the decisions in the rest of the selection process needed more consideration. But through analysis of each of the discipline times from the British Championship, the rest of the team was selected. Along with Penlington, Rob Chatley from Hanley Broadheath in Worcestershire, Graham Turner from Penicuik, Scotland, Tom Redmond from Bere Regis, Dorset and George Spencer from Hereford all made the cut, meaning that the British team for the 2024 World Championship is the same as the team that travelled to Stuttgart for the 2023 World Championship. Vicky Tween, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Team Manager, was excited about the prospect of team reuniting again. “Individually, they are all really strong athletes, so it’s always great to see what they can do when they come together. Last year didn’t go as planned for the team, but it was a useful learning experience, and I’m certain they will improve this year,” she said. They will once again be joined by the British Rookie Champion, Jack Morris, also from Knighton, in Wales. Whilst Rookie athletes don’t normally compete as part of the team, Morris delivered some lightning-fast times at the Rookie Championship and will be nipping at the heels of the Pro athletes when he joins them for the three Team training camps that take place in the lead-up to Toulouse. These training camps are a great opportunity for the team to work out who will take which leg of the relay at the World Championship, as well as an opportunity to practice the changeovers between the disciplines. In a sport that can come down to the tiniest margins, the additional training is critical to the performance, and the team will be looking to build on their 14th place finish from 2023. If you want to see how Team GB fare against the best athletes from across the globe, you can watch the World Championship in full, live on the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® YouTube channel on Friday 8th November.

Leading woodchipper manufacturers GreenMech are pleased to announce the appointment of David Blackwood as their new Sales Director following the retirement of Martin Lucas. David joins GreenMech with a wealth of business acumen gleaned from over 30 years of experience in the machinery industry, giving him the foundation to flourish in his new role – leading the sales operation across the UK and throughout GreenMech’s global network. David started his career as a Design Engineer in the Massey Ferguson tractor factory in Coventry. From here, he spent the next 15 years working for Massey Ferguson/AGCO in the Asia Pacific region – looking after all aspects of the business, including product support, sales and marketing. He then took up a position with Kubota UK, managing the sales and marketing for their Tractor and Groundcare business throughout the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia and the Baltics. David went on to return to AGCO, this time to manage sales of FELLA hay tools for western Europe and latterly all markets outside of Europe, for a further 10 years before, most recently, becoming UK and Export Sales Manger at Stocks Ag – the UK’s leading precision seeder and applicator manufacturer. With over three decades of knowledge and experience dealing with sales at home and overseas, David is well placed to spearhead the GreenMech sales team and dealer network around the UK, together with supporting distributors around the world in conjunction with colleagues from GreenMech France and GreenMech Germany. Commenting on his appointment David had this to say, “I am really looking forward to working with GreenMech – a British engineering success story and a brand synonymous with developing innovative products for the arboricultural, landscaping and green space industries. Having started at the beginning of July, I feel I have already gained huge insight into the market, its challenges, but also importantly, its opportunities. I look forward to meeting GreenMech customers past and present, along with other friends and associates at APF 2024.” He adds, “Together with everyone at GreenMech, we wish to extend a massive thank you to Martin for all he has done and achieved with the company and wish him the very best for a long and fulfilling retirement.”

STIHL has launched its first 12” cut-off machine in the AP System. Suitable for hardscaping, construction and pipework, the TSA 300 combines impressive cutting performance with a compact and well-balanced design. Developed with precision in mind, the TSA 300 features variable speed control and creates a significantly narrower cutting kerf compared to petrol models such as the TS 410, resulting in greater battery efficiency and cutting accuracy. Compared with the TS 410, the TSA 300 is lighter, more compact and features less vibration too, for even better handling. Like all AP System batteries and tools, the TSA 300 features a robust design and construction suitable for demanding professional applications, while remaining at a low weight of 8.3 kg (with battery). With a maximum power output of 2.5 kW when used with the recommended AP 500 S battery, this versatile machine is ideal for quickly cutting roofing tiles, bricks, metal and paving blocks up to a thickness of 110 mm. When the trigger of the TSA 300 is released, the wheel slows to a stop in under 4 seconds, with the braking energy being recuperated to the battery for greater efficiency and longer working times. The TSA 300 also benefits from STIHL’s power boost technology, a feature that regulates the power input from the battery to increase cutting performance whilst protecting the machine from overheating. A new magnetic filter protects the internal components from metal dust ingress, resulting in reduced downtime and easier maintenance. The TSA 300 is compatible with the Smart Connector 2 A, a smart device that plugs directly into the control module of the machine, sending maintenance reminders to the operator’s smartphone via Bluetooth. For more information on STIHL’s range of cut-off machines, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.