Rockford Man Will Attempt To Become The World’s Best Tree Climber [Video]

Did you know that there is a World Tree Climbing Championship? It takes place April 2 in San Antonio, TX and a local man, Lucas Drews, is among the competitors.

More than 60 of the world’s best male and female professional tree climbers representing 18 countries will compete for the title of world champion at the International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC) on April 2 and 3 at Brackenridge Park in San Antonio.

Similar to rock climbing, climbers negotiate trees while wearing a safety harness and attached by rope to a belayer on the ground who will stop their fall.

And with so many trees in Michigan, it only goes to figure we would have some great climbers in the competition, like Lucas Drews, who lives in Coral, which northwest of Greenville.

Drews is no stranger to the big tree climbing stage. He has competed at past world championships, representing Michigan at both the 2011 Championships in Sydney, Australia and the 2013 event in Toronto, Canada as well as two other international comptetitions.

In addition ot tree climbing, Drews says he enjoys rock climbing, swimming, kayaking and cuddling. He and and his wife of 14 years,Angela, have a four year old daughter, Eleanor.

Last year Kevin Bingham of Detroit finished 19th at the World Championships representing our state.

Drews' family owns Woodland Tree Services, and his mom told the Rockford Squire in 2011 that climbing came naturally to her son, “Lucas was climbing things [including trees] even before he could walk. It’s in his genes!”

The free event – organized by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and presented by The Davey Tree Expert Company – is open to the public to showcase arborists in action and help educate the community about professional tree work. Rules for the competition follow industry safety standards and help train climbers to work more safely when performing professional tree work.

“Though the tree climbing championship has a competitive spirit, it is an educational event that focuses on safety,” says Jim Skiera, executive director of ISA. This is the 40th Anniversary of the ITCC which began in 1976. “The competition attracts the best of the best from around the world and people are drawn to the event to watch and learn. Those who have been coming for years call it ‘edutainment’, learning while having a good time with family and friends.”

The contestants at the world championships compete in five different events, the secured foot lock, belayed speed climb, work climb, throw line and an aerial rescue. The five top climbers after the preliminaries then compete in the Master's Challenge to determine the overall winner.