“Miscellany”

Here you can find out what a cookie is, for instance, or what is meant by a stand or a pocket.

 

CookiesCookies are the discs of wood sawn from the log in the STIHL Stock Saw, Single Buck and Hot Saw disciplines.  Each cookie must be a specified thickness and above all, it must be a single piece.  Otherwise, the athlete in the particular discipline faces disqualification.

 

StandsStands are the metal devices that hold the logs securely and prevent them from slipping during the competition.  Each discipline has its own stand.  Stands are subject to very strict regulations and they are checked by the chief umpire before each event around the world to ensure they are secure and compliant with the rules.

PocketIn the Springboard event, notches are cut in the trunk with the axe, into which the springboard is then inserted.  These notches are called pockets.  The skill lies in cutting the pocket exactly right so that the board will support its own weight.  An ideal pocket is termed a “4 hit pocket”.  That means that the athlete has cut a perfect pocket in the trunk with only four swift, well-aimed blows.

Wood

Poplar wood is used for the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® SERIES in Europe, and in the USA white pine is used.  The wood is selected in advance according to certain criteria.  As far as possible it comes from the same piece of forest.  To ensure the same starting conditions for all athletes, the blocks used in the competition are cut to the same diameter before the event.  The wood is then sealed and stored at constant temperatures to keep the moisture level constant.  This system allows international comparability of times and records.  The rapidly regenerating poplar wood used in the competitions is recycled after the events.