Powys has cemented its reputation as the UK’s woodchopping powerhouse, with a dozen local competitors preparing to take centre stage at the 2025 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship in Malvern this week.

12 elite athletes from across the county will compete in the Pro, Women’s and Rookie divisions at the prestigious event, held at the Royal Three Counties Show from Friday, June 13 to Sunday, June 15.

Leading the charge is Knighton’s Glen Penlington, a dominant force in the sport since 2012, who will be aiming to secure an an incredible fourth consecutive British Pro Championship title. The 34-year-old enters the competition as the clear favourite after finishing 24 points ahead of his nearest rival in 2024.

Adding to the family legacy, Glen’s sister, Zoe Penlington, is set to compete in the Women’s Championship. A trailblazer in her own right, Zoe made history in 2022 by winning the inaugural women’s title and remains a key contender.

Powys’s strength in depth is on full display across all categories. Glasbury’s Libby Arrowsmith, 18, who was runner-up in last year’s Women’s Championship, is tipped as one of the favourites for this year’s crown. She’ll be joined by Hay-on-Wye’s Rachel Ferrington, 44, who impressed on her debut in 2024 with a third-place finish.

The British Rookie Championship features two more local hopefuls: Knighton’s Zac Powell and Llandrindod Wells’ Rowan Luxton, who finished second and third respectively last year. Both are considered strong contenders for the rookie crown in 2025 and will no doubt be hoping to go one better this time around.

Adding to the local representation, six more athletes from across Powys - including Presteigne, Llanddewi, and Crickhowell - will compete across the Pro, Women’s, and Rookie categories.

STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® is the premier logger sports competition in the UK, with events that test strength, precision, and technique across a series of axe and saw disciplines. Highlights include the ferocious Hot Saw event, where athletes wield a purpose-built chainsaw capable of producing up to 80 horsepower.

The championships will be livestreamed via the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® YouTube channel, with in-person tickets available via the Royal Three Counties Show website, at: https://royalthreecounties.co.uk/

The championship features three main categories, each testing athletes’ skill and strength across a range of demanding woodchopping disciplines.

In the British Pro Championship, competitors must master all six events: the Stock Saw, Standing Block Chop, Single Buck, Underhand Chop, Springboard, and the thrilling Hot Saw, which involves a high-powered chainsaw.

The British Women’s Championship includes four disciplines - Stock Saw, Standing Block Chop, Single Buck, and Underhand Chop—challenging female athletes to demonstrate precision and speed.

Meanwhile, the British Rookie Championship is open to athletes under 25, who compete in five events: Stock Saw, Standing Block Chop, Single Buck, Underhand Chop, and the one-board Springboard, showcasing the next generation of timber sports talent.

Logger sports, often called "The Original Extreme Sport," have a history stretching back more than 150 years. While logging itself has been practiced worldwide for thousands of years, the sport likely began in the 1870s in Ulverstone, Tasmania, sparked by a friendly wager between two lumberjacks competing to out-chop each other. Originating in Australia and New Zealand, timber sports soon spread to Canada and the USA during the mid-19th century, where forestry workers turned their skills into competitive events during downtime.