HANOVER, N.H. - The Paul Smith’s College woodsmen’s team won the sport’s biggest collegiate event, the Spring Meet, on Saturday.

The team edged Finger Lakes Community College for the title at the 63rd Annual Woodsmen’s Weekend, which was held Friday and Saturday at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H.

The Paul Smith’s women’s team finished third in their bracket, amassing victories in canoeing, bow-sawing and the obstacle pole relay.

More than 1,000 people came to the event, which drew 29 teams from 13 colleges and universities. The Paul Smith’s men’s squad began the second day of competition behind, but put together winning efforts in chopping, sawing, axe throwing and birling to regain the championship from Finger Lakes, which won the 2008 championship. The victory was about as close as it could get: Out of 1,600 points awarded for the entire event, just two separated Paul Smith’s and FLCC at the end of the competition.

Paul Smith’s last held the title in 2007, and before that in 2003. The meet is often described as the sport’s Super Bowl; Paul Smith’s still holds the record for most consecutive victories at the event, 10, from 1957 to 1966.

Team captain Curt Karboski also won the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate Series’ northeast regional competition, which earned him a trip to Columbus, Ga., to compete against champs from four other regional finals. The winner of that event will go on to a spot on the 2010 Stihl pro tour.

Karboski’s victory, which will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPNU, was the fourth consecutive year a Paul Smith’s woodsman won the event. Last year’s winner, Matt Bolton, won the overall collegiate crown, and he will compete professionally this summer.