UK Loggers

Welcome to the UK Loggers (UKL) official website. We organise competitions that support and promote the precision use of chainsaws.

Within its pages you will find the answer to any questions that you may have about UKL, information on the disciplines and any up and coming competitions.

The UKL UK Championship started in 1995 and is an annual competition to determine the UK’s precision chainsaw champion. It usually takes place over 2 days and consists of 5 disciplines.

We also organise a number of 1 day short competitions around the UK.

As the competition is organised by volunteers from within UKL, the location changes from year to year to ease the burden. We are mostly funded through the generously sponsorship of many organisations.

Every 2 years the UK enters a team in the World Logging Championships( WLC). The team consists of the 3 seniors and a junior ( Under 24) There is also a class for female competitors. The selection process is over 3 competitions, commencing with the UK Championship where the top ranked competitors are shortlisted.

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Champions

Richard Elliott started competing in 1986 at the Devon County Show. He competed in 11 of them and won 7. He also took part in 5 Scottish National competitions from 1987 to 1992 he managed 3rd place which qualified him for the UK team in the World Logging Championships in Romania in 1994. He achieved a bronze medal for limbing in Romania, a bronze for combination cross-cut in Lockerbie 2002 and a silver for precision cross-cut in Germany 2008. Richard has competed in all the UK competitions since it started in 1995 and has won 12.   

Peter Fox has worked in the forest industry since leaving school. He entered his first Royal Welsh tree felling competition in 1996. He first won this title in 2009 and has held it five times. He entered his first UK loggers competition in 2004 and whilst he has won each of the 5 events over the years, he has never held the overall title until 2017. He has represented the UK in the World Logging championships 3 times and is the current UK record holder for fitting a new chain.

The UKL competition consists of 5 disciplines that all relate to chainsaw felling and processing of a tree performed by a forest worker during a working day: Fitting a new chain, accurately crosscutting a log that is either on the floor or across another log, Felling a tree and snedding (removing branches). All events are against the clock. The disciplines are judged and scored in accordance with the International Association of Logging Championships (IALC ) regulations which may be found at: http://ialc.ch/Englisch/Basics/The-ialc-Worldcup-Disciplines/

Tree Felling

A tree must be cut down within three minutes, which is aimed to fall as near as possible to a pre-determined marker post. During the discipline, the competitor must work within the safety regulations and working techniques set out in the regulations.

Fitting another chain

The competitor must dismantle and assemble the cutting apparatus of the chainsaw. The chain must be taken off, the bar must be turned and another chain must be fitted. The new chain must be fitted so that the chainsaw is ready to use in the following two cross-cutting disciplines without adjustments.

Bucking by Combined Cuts  

From two logs, the competitor must cut a disc of wood no thinner than 30 mm and no thicker than 80 mm from each, as quickly and safely as possible. This must be done by cutting the first half upwards from beneath the log and the second half from the top. The competitor gets the highest points when the upper and downward cuts meet each other, without a step, within the marked red zone and at right-angles to the length of the log.

Precision Bucking

From two logs, the competitor must cut a disc of wood no thinner than 30 mm and no thicker than 80 mm from each, as quickly and safely as possible. The disc must be cut at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the stem in a downwards direction. The competitor must try to cut the whole disc without damaging the board. Damaging the board will lead to zero points for the accuracy of the cut. The discipline is performed while the log lies in a thin layer of sawdust that hides where the log contacts the surface of the board.

Limbing

Limbing is performed on a cylindrically rounded stem, into which 30 round branches, all equal in diameter have been inserted in a predetermined branching pattern. These are cut off by the competitor as quickly and safely as possible. The branches must be cut flush with the stem, leaving stubs or damaging the stem results in penalties.

Relay race

The relay race is a team competition in which the 4 competitors must cut off disks from a series of specially prepared standing or lying poles as quickly and safely as possible. The poles are specially marked to identify the cutting points and the order and direction of travel is carefully judged. Special attention is paid to the compliance of the safety regulations. The relay race is scored as a team competition and is not included in the scores and ranking for the individual competition(s).

The following organisations have recently hosted competitions. UK Loggers are grateful for their support.