What started 25 years ago as the Tree Trimmers' Jamboree in St. Louis, Mo., has grown into an annual showcase of the arborist's art with regional competitions leading to the International Championships. The best tree climbers in the West (Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada) will gather Saturday for the Western Chapter International Society of Arboriculture Tree Climbing Championships. Competitions include a Men's competition and an Old Timers' competition (over 40). There will be exhibitors, food and activities to make a fun filled day. 

The preliminary championship starts at 8:30 am where 30 contestants will compete in five timed events as follows:

• Work climb: Contestants' must climb to five stations in the tree, performing a different task at each station.
• Aerial Rescue: Contestants' must reach and safely lower an injured climber (actually a life-sized mannequin)
• Throwline: Tests contestants' agility to accurately place lines in a tree at heights ranging from 40 to 60 feet.
• Belayed speed climb: Contestants' ascend a predetermined route from ground to about 60 feet.
• Secured footlock: Measures climber's ability to perform 40-foot vertical ascent using double-climbing line.

The top 5 climbers from the preliminary event will compete in the Masters Challenge. The top climber from the Masters Challenge will then be proclaimed "Chapter Champion" and will earn the honor of representing the chapter at the International Tree Climbing Championship at the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Annual meeting in July, 2007 in St. Louis, MO ~ a return to the birthplace of the competition. 

TCC HISTORY

The International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC), previously named ISA Tree Trimmer's Jamboree, was initially proposed in 1975 by Dick Alvarez from Atascadero, California. Alvarez began running a number of events in his own company, Arbor Tree Surgery, with the intent to preserve the classic skills that would prepare a climber equipped with nothing more than a rope to have the ability to save a life in an aerial rescue. The competition grew as Alvarez invited other companies to attend his annual company picnic. Eventually, it became a chapter sanctioned event and attracted the likes of ISA members Bailey Hudson, City Forester City of Santa Maria, CA and Don Blair, President Sierra Moreno Mercantile Co. Both men assisted Alvarez with his bid to have the event held every year at the ISA Annual Field Day.

Annual Champions

Mens		Womens
2008	Jared Abrojena	2008	Jessica Petrini
2007	Chad Brey	2007	Rhonda Wood
2006	Chad Brey
2005	Jared Abrojena
2004	Jared Abrojena
2003	Gary Abrojena
2002	Jared Abrojena
2001	Gary Abrojena
2000	Peter Grover
1999	Gary Abrojena
1998	Dan Kraus
1997	Gary Abrojena
1996	Johyn Misemer
1995	Gary Abrojena
1994	Marty Bidwell
1993	Richard Kingsborough
1992	Richard Kingsborough
1991	Marty Bidwell
1990	Greg Smelzer
1989	Randy Hopp
1988	Robert Phillips
1987	Bob Hunter
1986	Chris Bier
1985	Chris Bier
1984	Bob Hunter
1983	Bob Hunter
1982	Bob Hunter
1981	Bob Hunter
1980	Sam Noonan
1979	Sam Noonan
1978	Sam Noonan
1977	Tom Smith
1976	Tom Gosnell