Forget the poncy men-in-lycra stuff.
I used to watch earlier versions of this sport nearly 60 years ago, when real men would compete with a hand-rolled cigarette hanging out of the corner of their mouth.
It’s all a bit more professional now.
No real surprise in the result, with Oz having won 9/13 events since the inception of this format (& NZ the other 4), but the US pushed them to a world record.
Most people have swung an axe with intent at least a few times in their lives. What these guys* can do is pretty amazing.
*Yes, there’s a women’s division, too, for real women.
That’s impressive. I think the guy with the long saw was most impressive as he was using a lot of different muscles. I imagine any of them could hold their own in a bar brawl.
Those aren’t the axes you pick up at the local hardware store for sure. Never run a single buck saw, lots of skill and fitness required for each of these. One miss with an axe and you’re gunna feel it.
I’m from Wisconsin. Home of Hayward, WI, which in turn is home of the Lumberjack World Championships. Definitely doesn’t look like it used to. Also still some burly dudes who live up in the north woods.
My grandfather owned a small mill and used to put one of these on every year. It is one of my fondest childhood memories watching all of my relatives compete. I always loved the big hot saws and the log rolling.
Indeed. That was my thought too. Dropping body weight down at an angle onto a foot-spike dug into a giant telephone pole can’t be good for the ligaments.
