Winkleigh axeman Dale Beams and Deloraine’s Matthew Gurr battled seven other of the best woodchoppers in the country last Saturday for a spot in the Timbersports 2017 Pro-Tour competition.
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Beams, Gurr and fellow Tasmanian Kody Steers were part of the action at the final round of the 2016 Timbersports Australia series as nine athletes fought it out at Sydney’s Olympic Park for five spots on next year’s pro-tour.
It was a successful day for veteran Gurr who secured his spot in the top eight and on the competition circuit in 2017. Securing his spot on the tour takes him one step closer to making the Chopperoos team and representing Australia at the 2017 Timbersports World Championship in Norway next November.
The day started off well for Beams but went downhill during the single buck when his saw jammed in the wood and he couldn’t get back on form during the rest of the day. It meant he missed out on a spot in the top eight for the second successive year after being part of the Australian team that won the world championship title in 2014.
On Sunday, the leading eight under-25 choppers went head-to-head in the Timbersports rookie championship including Tasmanians Andrew Kelly, Daniel Beams, Daniel Gurr and Josh Bakes.
It was a chance for the up and coming stars to compete for the title and a ticket to represent Australia, at the Rookie World Championship in Europe next year.
Westbury's Kelly - this year’s world rookie championship runner up - was hot favourite to take the title but a new ruling meant that he wasn’t allowed to return to the World Championship stage. Young guns Beams and Gurr were tipped to do well but despite stellar performances, the title went to NSW’s Blake Marsh.
