Bernd Strasser, known as Beddes by friends, climbed almost flawlessly to his fourth ITCC championship in Montréal, Québec in August. His Masters' Challenge climb awed hundreds of spectators who had gathered to watch what they knew would be an incredible competition in the massive, spreading cottonwood tree. They were not disappointed.

Beddes has been climbing for 13 years and competing on the chapter and international levels since 1994. He owns Baumkletterteam ("tree climbing team"), a company specializing in seed collection, research facilitation, and pruning. Beddes gives worldwide workshops on advanced climbing techniques, aerial rescue, and rigging. He also is a certified European tree worker, an instructor for several German seed institutions, and a certified instructor for the use of chain saws in trees. One interesting job involved clearing trees back from ruins, which gave him more of an appreciation of the importance of trees to humankind throughout the centuries.

When asked how things have changed since his first ITCC victory in 1997, Beddes answered, "Winning is still a lot of fun …, for some reason even more now than it was the first time. My son, Silas, is 11 now, and I find I get happier every day as he grows." In his spare time, Beddes enjoys paragliding, snowboarding, touring, hiking, traveling, and climbing trees.

Strasser's day-to-day work comprises his training regimen, although he does try to run occasionally, and he emphasizes the benefits of stretching out. "I try to stretch for 10 minutes a day right after work, if possible. It becomes a daily routine that feels really amazing. You recover faster, and the chance of getting injured is lower." Although age hasn't become a significant factor yet, he feels that he relies more now on his mental strength than on his physical strength, as he did in years past.

One of the changes to ITCC over the years has been the addition of the women's competition, and Beddes is a big proponent. "The women are amazing; they've come a long way in just three years of competition. Thanks to ISA for organizing the women's competition. I think it not only helps the women in the field, but in the long run, it helps the men, too. They bring a new energy to both the competition and the profession."

Reflecting on how tree climbing competitions compare to professional climbing Beddes says, "If you look at the tree as a 'sport object,' you will never get really flowing; you will never get the 'support' of the tree. Instead, respect the tree as a living being, be grateful for its existence, and listen to the tree (with your heart). You will notice a 'treemendous' difference."

This philosophy is evident to anyone who has watched Beddes climb. Listening to the spectators in Montréal, one could appreciate fellow climbers' respect for the skill and techniques Beddes used as he maneuvered through the crown. But a nonclimber watching the Masters' Challenge remarked, "All of these climbers seem incredibly skilled and agile in the tree. But Strasser, he looks so fluid, he looks like he's almost a part of the tree."

Beddes has a closing remark for his friends at ISA: "'Climb safe'-this is what climbers say to each other instead of 'goodbye' or 'see you later.'"

The crowd watched in silence, their heads tilted and necks strained as they followed Kiah's path through the massive cottonwood selected for the women's Masters' Challenge. And when she completed her climb they roared with applause knowing they had witnessed a masterful demonstration of a skill that few women possess. Kiah, of course, was cool and collected, although tremendously relieved to be done.

Kiah Martin is the 2003 Women's International Tree Climbing Champion, a title she earned at the competition in Montreal last August, an honor that is the culmination of years of hard work and practice.

Kiah started climbing at Burnley College in Melbourne, Australia as part of her Advanced Certificate of Arboriculture. She found tree climbing to be exhilarating and challenging and she knew she was hooked from the start. "It was a job that meshed many different physical skills with a thorough knowledge of science and best practices in tree care. Best of all, I was working in a living organism; it really puts me in touch with nature," she said.

Her position as senior arborist at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne allows Kiah to continue to combine her knowledge and skills to preserve and care for some of the largest and most beautiful tree specimens in the world. An additional bonus has been the enthusiastic support the Botanic Gardens has offered her in traveling to International Tree Climbing Championships.

Kiah's favorite event is the Masters' Challenge because it most closely resembles the work that an arborist must do in tree climbing and it requires the competitor to pull it all together despite the pressure of the large crowd of spectators. She also likes the work climb event because it affords the climber the opportunity to perform long, fluid swings, which are not always practical in day-to-day pruning operations.

Her least favorite event is the throwline competition. "There is just so much variability. Any competitor can have a good or a bad day and it is the most inconsistent event of the competition. I find it especially frustrating."

When not climbing, Kiah enjoys camping and photography. She loves to be connected with the outdoors and feels that it is a "calling" to work with nature in a position that somehow improves the relationship between the environment and humanity. The competition element has allowed her to travel and to meet fellow climbers from all over the world. She has forged some lifelong friendships and she puts her feelings about it quite succinctly, "Tree people are the best people you'll ever meet!"