STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® discipline Single Buck

With a hand-pulled saw about two metres long, the athletes cut a wooden disc from a horizontally fixed block. Rhythm and technique are crucial to achieve a good time of under 15 seconds.

In a nutshell

The athletes saw a complete disc from a horizontally mounted log, using a single man cross-cut saw, which is about two meters long. Rhythm and dynamics are what count in this event. Elite athletes can make a clean cut in under twelve seconds. The Single Buck counts as one of the more advanced disciplines. It’s easy to learn the technique for the Single Buck, but becoming a master at it is much harder and can take years to perfect.

Competition formats in which the discipline is featured:

Single Buck is featured in the Individual, Rookie, Intermediate, Women’s, Trophy and Team competitions.

Rundown of a heat 

After entering the stage, the athletes are allowed to cut a 30cm indent into the block, in which their saw is anchored before the start of the heat.

After the starting signal the athletes begin to pull the saw back and forth and cut a complete cookie from the block. The clock stops when the cookie is totally severed from the block.

In some competition formats the athletes may have an assistant to wedge the block.

However, for international championships and Trophy competitions, no assistants or wedges are allowed during the cut. The records for this variation of the Single Buck are counted as a separate discipline.

Martin Rousal from the Czech Republic at the Single Buck during the 2019 Individual World Championship in Prague.