Six-time past world champion Bernd Strasser, known as “Beddes” to friends, has been climbing for 17 years. Since 1994, he has been competing at the chapter and international levels. Strasser has finished with three second-place and five first-place rankings in the last nine years of ITCC Masters’ Challenge competitions. He owns the tree climbing team Baumkletterteam, which specializes in seed collecting, research facilitations, and pruning. Strasser gives worldwide workshops on advanced climbing techniques, aerial rescue, and rigging. He is a certified European tree worker, a certified instructor for chain-saw use in trees, and an instructor for several German seed institutions. Together with treemagineers.com, he is working on innovative climbing equipment for arborists (latest a harness called “treemotion”) and is a consultant for Stihl and Teufelberger. Strasser has a 15-year-old son, Silas, and enjoys every minute he can spend with him. Right now, together with the help of friends he is building a house made out of strawbails. In his spare time, Strasser enjoys “pretty much every summer and winter outdoor activity.” You’ll often find him paragliding, snowboarding, cross-country touring, hiking, canoeing, running, and especially climbing trees.

Returning for his seventh international competition is Helmut Schwengels. He has been climbing 18 years and has competed 12 times at the chapter level. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 18 seconds. Schwengles works as a self-employed baumpfleger and has for 18 years. He has been married for three years to Beate Balbuchta. They have two children Mathis, 3; and Marlene, 5 months. In his spare time, he enjoys mountain biking.

Representing the Atlantic Chapter in his first international competition is Keanen Jewett. He has seven years climbing experience and has competed at the chapter level six times. Jewett earned his technician diploma in landscape architecture and now works as an arborist at Arborwood Tree Service. He has been partnered with Nicole Burque for seven years. In his free time, Jewett enjoys hiking, kayaking, woodworking, and playing hockey.

Karl Kramler has been climbing for seven years and is climbing in his first international competition. He has competed four times at the chapter level. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 25 seconds. Kramler started working as a farmer, then as a forester, now as a tree climber. He is very happily partnered and enjoys making nice objects from beautiful pieces of wood.

Brett Hamlin is competing in his fourth international competition. He began working in the industry in 1987 as part of a ground crew. Hamlin currently works as a climbing arborist,consultant, and trainer and holds a certificate in arboriculture. Hamlin says his fastest 50' footlock time is 17 seconds. When he is not working, Hamlin enjoys bushwalking, surfing, and recreational tree climbing.

With seven years climbing experience, Rasmus Madsen joins the ITCC for his fourth time. He has competed at the chapter level six times. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 21.30 seconds. Madsen has been an arborist, or tree surgeon, for nine years. He was educated as a forest worker and now is a certified European tree worker. Madsen and his partner of seven years, Ditte, have one child, Mikkel, 2. He enjoys hunting in his spare time.

Colin Kelly is climbing in his first ITCC though he has been climbing for almost four years. Kelly has competed at the chapter level three times. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 27 seconds. Kelly, a foreman at A Cut Above, has volunteered at the Florida Chapter tree climbing championships. Kayaking, recreational tree climbing, and helping other arborists are Kelly’s hobbies.

Climbing in his tenth international competition is Frédéric Dauphin. He has been climbing for 12 years and has competed 11 times at the chapter level. Dauphin said his fastest 50’ footlock is 20 seconds. He works as a tree climber and is married.

Ronny Epple has been climbing for nine years, competing at the chapter level each year. This is his seventh trip to the ITCC. He was the Swedish champion in 2002 and 2003; the German champion in 2003, 2004, and 2007; European champion in 2006; and the Vize world champion in 2006. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 16.40 seconds. Epple is a self-employed arborist and has been a climbing instructor since 2003. He has a master title in arboriculture. Epple is partnered with Paloma Ziegelmeier and enjoys wood working, enduro bike riding, cross country skiing, and hiking.

Climbing in his sixth international competition is Todd Kramer of the Illinois Chapter. Kramer has worked for his family-owned business for 19 years starting by dragging brush and moving up to director of field operations and education. He is a Certified Arborist, Certified Tree Worker, and Tree Care Industry Association – Certified Training Safety Professional. The 19-year climbing veteran has participated in 16 chapter level competitions. Kramer said his fastest 50’ footlock was around 17 seconds. He has volunteered as a scoring judge, head footlock technician, and the work climb technician for men’s and women’s Master’s challenges. Kramer enjoys spending time with his wife of six years, Laura; daughter, Emily, 4; and son, James, 2. His hobbies include rock climbing, mountain biking, and camping.

Cory Schnick is competing in his first international competition this year. He has competed twice at the chapter level and once as a student at the TCIA Expo during his three years climbing experience. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 34 seconds. Schnick has a bachelor’s degree in forestry with a specialization in urban forestry. He works as a foreman for Arbor Care Tree and Landscaping. He has been married to Laura for two years and enjoys recreationally driving his Jeep and collecting and customizing firearms.

Climbing in his fourth ITCC is Giovanni Ugo. He has been climbing for 20 years and has competed at the chapter level five times. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 18.79 seconds. Ugo works as an arborist and has for eight years. He does tree climbing and tree moving for transplants. Ugo enjoys spending time with his family, including his parents, wife of three years, and two children.

Cory Petry is representing the Kentucky Chapter in his first international level competition. He has competed twice at the chapter level and said his fastest 50’ footlock is 25 seconds. He began climbing seven years ago when he started his tree work career with a company in Louisville, Kentucky. Petry earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Kentucky in 1998. He started his own company, Limbwalker Tree Service, in 2005 when he became a Certified Arborist. Petry is married to Jen Walters Petry, and enjoys camping, gardening, rustic archery, and tomahawk throwing.

Jack Richardson is competing in his second international competition this year. Richardson works as an arborist with a private tree care company. He started with Bartlett Tree Experts, but later moved to Michigan. He is currently a climber/foreman, but has also served as a spray technician and salesman. Richardson has six years of climbing experience, with five years at chapter level competitions. He and his wife, Emily, have been married almost four years. Richardson enjoys playing baseball, working on his house, landscape design, and finding big trees.

Michael Cotter’s 25-years tree climbing experience has taken him through 17 chapter level competitions and 6 international competitions. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 19 seconds. He was the 1998 ITCC Champion. Cotter works as a tree climber, crane operator, safety director, and teacher. He is an ISA Certified Arborist as well as a certified tree worker climber specialist, certified line clearance tree trimmer, and certified crane operator. Cotter has been partnered with Marci Matthews for 11 years. He enjoys riding ATVs, fishing, canoeing, and camping.

Newcomer Brandon Shields has competed for two years at the chapter level. This ITCC will be his first international competition. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 21 seconds. This Certified Arborist also has associate’s degrees in digital media and networking and security. Shields has been working as a crew leader for a year and a half. He has been partnered with Megan Livingston for five years and enjoys everything related to computers. Other hobbies include canoeing, bowling, camping, and motorcycle riding.

Representing the Minnesota Chapter in his first international competition is Rob Juetten. This crew leader has been climbing for five years and has competed at the chapter level four times. His fastest 50’ footlock is 25 seconds. Juetten is married to Jeri Simon and has three children Mariah, 11; Ariel, 7; Chloe, infant. Juetten enjoys golfing, fishing, and shooting off fireworks.

Justin Donahue has been climbing for 12 years. He has competed at the chapter level six times and this is his third trip to the ITCC. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 18 seconds. Donahue is a Certified Arborist and also has a 4-year certificate in conservation and horticulture. When he’s not climbing he said you can find him riding his Harley Davidson. Donahue has three beautiful girls Elisha, 6; Daisy, 4; and Jenelle, 2.

Representing the New Jersey Chapter for the 17th time, is Mark Chisholm. He has been climbing for 24 years and has competed at the chapter level 18 times. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 14.3 seconds. Chisholm works as the director of field operations and volunteers as a NJAISA trustee. His hobbies include spending time with family, surfing treebuzz.com, playing hockey, and investing. Chisholm and his wife, Annie, have been married 12 years and have three children.

Returning for his second international competition is Brian Krawczyk from the New York Chapter. Krawczyk has competed twice at the chapter level, but has been climbing for five years. This Certified Arborist works as a foreman for Birchcrest Tree and Landscape. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Mercy Hurst College. Krawczyk has been married to Colleen for four years and enjoys all outdoor activities. His favorites include camping, mountain biking, and tree climbing.

Tony Wilson is climbing in his third ITCC representing the New Zealand Chapter. Wilson has been climbing for 10 years and said his fastest 50’ footlock is 17.01 seconds. He earned his arboriculture diploma from Waikato Polytechnic. Wilson works as a contract climber, private arboretum manager, Pinus radiata forestry manager, and sheep and deer farmer. In his spare time, he enjoys tramping, waterskiing, hunting, and camping.

Aadne Haugen has been climbing for 10 years and has competed nine times at the chapter level. He has also competed six times at the European Tree Climbing Championship and this is his third ITCC. This horticulturist started working as a landscaper, but thought climbing was more fun. He now works as a foreman. Haugen’s hobbies include rock-climbing, playing chess, listening to music, and spending time with friends.

Making his ITCC debut is Chris Bramlage from the Ohio Chapter. Bramlage has been climbing seven years and has competed twice at the chapter level. He works as a climber at Madison Tree Care and said he is still working on his fastest 50’ footlock. Bramlage has been married to his wife, Jen seven years. He said he enjoys down hill mountain biking.

Seven-year chapter level competitor and first time international competitor, Sean Hoondert is representing the Ontario Chapter this year. Hoondert said his fastest 50’ footlock is 17 seconds. He said he’s worked in all aspects of arboriculture and currently works as an arborist. He has been partnered with Meggan MacCullam for two years and enjoys camping, hiking, fishing, and canoeing.

Dan Kraus, Certified Arborist and tree climber, returns to the ITCC for the ninth time. This 2005 ITCC champion has been climbing for 24 years and has competed 16 times at the chapter level. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 18 seconds. Kraus began doing tree work in Hawaii where he received his Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Hawaii, Hilo. He moved to Seattle, Washington almost 10 years ago where he’s worked as a foreman climber, teacher, and canopy researcher. He has also rescued almost 500 cats from trees. Kraus has been married to his wife, Justina, for six years. He enjoys juggling, woodworking, and spending time with family.

Cory Shepard has been climbing more than eight years and has competed at the chapter level three times. This is Shepard’s first ITCC climb. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 22 seconds. Shepard is the crew leader and safety coordinator at The Care of Trees. He earned his bachelor’s degree in urban forestry and worked as a climber before and after college. Shepard enjoys spending time with his wife, Angela.

Climbing in his first international competition is Steven Draper, representing the Prairie Chapter. He has been climbing for five years and competed at the chapter level each year. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 20 seconds. Draper works as a senior arborist and an assistant for Arboriculture Canada. He volunteers as a technician for the ITCC work climb. In his spare time, Draper enjoys camping, traveling, and working on cars.

Thirty-year climbing veteran Charles Moreau is competing in his sixth international competition this year. He has climbed 11 times at the chapter level. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 23 seconds. Moreau owns his own company. He has been partnered with Shirley Pépin for 15 years and has one child, Marie-Pier, 18. His hobbies include everything concerning trees.

Returning for his second international competition is Luke Glines, owner of Luke Glines Tree Experts. Glines, who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in religion, has owned the business and worked as a Certified Arborist for 10 years. He has also climbed for 10 years, competing six of those at the chapter level. Glines has volunteered as a member of the Tree Climbing Championship Committee. He said his fastest 50’ footlock was 16.10 seconds. Glines has a 13-year-old daughter, Hannah. He enjoys riding his motorcycle, reading, relaxing at Starbucks, and spending time with his daughter.

Joining the international competition for the first time this year is Rob Bramblett. He has been climbing for 13 years and has competed at the chapter level twice. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 15.29 seconds. Bramblett works as an arborist for Climbing Concepts. He started doing tree work in 1995 and has been a Certified Arborist for three years. Bramblet and his wife of eight years, Cindy, have two children Andrew, 6; and Austin, 4. He said he enjoys all outdoor activities in his spare time.

Climbing in his first ITCC is Johan Gustavsson, representing the Swedish Chapter. He has been climbing for two years and this year was also his first chapter level competition. Gustavsson works as a climbing arborist and enjoys motocross riding and water sports. He has been partnered with Lisa for four years.

Mark Bridge is competing in his sixth international competition. Bridge has 16 years climbing experience and has competed for eight years. He says his fastest 50¢ footlock time is 15.5 seconds. Bridge started tree work in 1990 at a friend’s company. He later co-founded Baumpartner. He is also involved with Baumklettern Schweiz, a company that offers a whole range of climbing courses from the basics through specialized, advanced modules. His most recent project, Treemagineers, with Bernd Strasser and Chris Cowell, involved the development of arborist techniques and equipment. Bridge is certified by the Swiss Arborist Association. He and his wife, Steffi, have three girls, Solvey, 12; Shona, 8; and Nevena, 6. When he’s not climbing, Bridge enjoys spending time with his family, swimming, and reading.

Vicente Navarro is representing the Texas Chapter this year. Navarro has been climbing for 15 years, having competed 10 times at the chapter level. His fastest 50’ footlock is 28 seconds. Navarro works as a climber for Arborilogical Services in Dallas, where he has been for 10 years.

Ten years of climbing experience has prepared Stuart Witt for his second trip to the ITCC. He has competed eight times at the chapter level. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 16.93 seconds. This arborist has worked for the family company since he was 15 years old. Witt and his partner of two years, Natalie Cantor, enjoy walking their two sled dogs, Archy and Blaze.

Mark Malmstrom is competing in his second ITCC this year. He has been climbing for 13 years and has competed at the chapter level seven times. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 26 seconds. Malmstrom works as an arborist and owns his own tree service doing pruning, removals, crane work, and some consulting. He has received his AAS in ornamental horticulture and BLA in landscape architecture from Utah State University and studied forest science at Oregon State. Malmstrom and his wife of seven years, Candace have three children, Logan, 8; Maren, 5; and Sam, 2. His hobbies include hiking, skiing, chainsaw collecting, cycling, and spending time with his family and youth groups at his church.

Climbing in his fourth ITCC is Chad Brey from the Western Chapter. Brey has been climbing for 10 years and has competed at the chapter level nine times. He said his fastest 50’ footlock is 15.25 seconds. Brey has an associate’s degree in science and works as a climbing arborist. He enjoys scuba diving, kayaking, paragliding, and climbing trees.

Joe House is climbing in his first ITCC this year, though he has competed at the chapter level six times. He has been climbing a total of 15 years and said his fastest 50’ footlock is 19 seconds. House graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science in forestry in 1995. He became a Certified Arborist in 1996. He worked in New York and Colorado before settling in Wisconsin to raise his family and work for Stephenson Tree Care. This part-time stay-at-home-dad, and his wife of eight years, Lori, has three children Alice, 5; Jacqueline, 3; Charles, 2. In his free time, he enjoys rock and ice climbing, high altitude mountain biking, and reducing global warming.