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ITCC Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT Sonia Abney:
(217) 355-9411 Ext 27
Aussie Arborist Represent the Best in the World
CHAMPAIGN, IL (August 20, 2003) - Professional arborists from across the globe competed for the ISA World Champion title on August 2 and 3 at the International Society of Arboriculture's (ISA) 27th International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC). Held at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montréal, Québec, each participant was there to demonstrate their expertise in the use of climbing equipment that allows them to care for trees in communities around the world.
Only the world's best tree climbers from over sixteen countries are invited to compete in the ITCC. Representing the Australia ISA Chapter Kiah Martin (Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne) and Tom Greenwood (The Tree Works, Camberwell) challenged their limits as they competed in six different climbing events over a two-day period. Each event tests a competitor's ability to quickly, professionally, and safely maneuver in a tree while performing work-related tree-care tasks.
"The events are meant to simulate the working conditions of climbers, and arborists around the world can learn new techniques from one another and get a chance to see new and different equipment," said ISA Associate Executive Director Jim Skiera. "Arboriculture is a rapidly growing industry worldwide. This event brings the best of the best together, not only to compete, but to also share knowledge and experience gathered from around the world. It is a great information resource."
A crowd of hundreds cheered on the climbers, creating a sense of excitement and suspense before finding out who had accumulated the highest combined point total to advance into the championship round, the Masters' Challenge.
Kiah Martin became one of the two women and four men who earned the right to compete in the Masters' Challenge. "It is an honor to represent my region in such a competitive field of distinguished climbers," she said. Martin was an aggressive climber with an especially good showing in the work climb event. Greenwood was also doing quite well until an unfortunate missed step in the work climb knocked him out of the running.
At 3:00p.m. on Sunday, Beddes Strasser of Germany and Kiah Martin of Austraila were proudly announced as the new ISA World Champions by the ISA President, Bailey Hudson, during the Awards Ceremony. They were each presented the World Champion's Cup, cash, and prizes donated by the sponsor's of the event. As Champion, Martin is invited back to defend her title at the 2004 competition to be held in Pittsburgh August 8 and 9.
"The event required a great deal of effort and conditioning," Strasser said enthusiastically, "But the experience was so rewarding that I'm already looking forward to next year's ITCC with great anticipation."
"After three years of ITCC competition, I feel I am now in the best position to reflect on my achievements. A World Championship title is one thing to achieve, but defending it the following year will be the real challenge.
I am excited about the level of women's climbing this year and am eager to rise to the challenge of competition in 2004. I aspire to learn and master many of the techniques I see the men utilising in their Masters' Challenge and hope to be able to work some of these new techniques into my climbing set-up during the coming twelve months.
Pittsburgh will be fantastic and it will be the greatest pleasure to return and defend the World Champion's belt, and be joined by a second Australian Woman and the Aussie men's champion.
Competitive tree climbing is a strenuous and nervous pursuit. I am always striving for more fluid movement in the tree, better systems of working the tree and that competitive edge. Beating the nerves on the day of the comp is probably the greatest challenge of all.
Competing with the world's greatest men and women climbers is such a thrill in itself. Having the Champions trophy engraved with my name is really just an added bonus."
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is a nonprofit organization supporting
tree care research around the world. Headquartered in Champaign, Ill., ISA is dedicated to the care and
preservation of shade and ornamental trees. For more information, contact a local ISA Certified Arborist
or visit
www.treesaregood.com.
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