Lumberjack Sport Events
Click on an Event Below to Learn More!
Log Rolling
Lumberjacks and lumberjills run atop spinning, floating logs in an attempt to topple their opponents! Difficulty increases as the logs get smaller!
Men’s Logroll
When the referee yells “throw your poles” the match is on! Logrollers, or birlers, use endurance and strength to stay atop a spinning log while they try to best their competitor’s speed, balance, and skill. Competitions start on a 15” log and move to smaller logs as the competition heats up. The smaller the log the faster the spin. In the semi-finals and finals, the winner is determined by the best three of five falls.
Women’s Logroll
Logrollers, or birlers, use endurance and strength to stay atop a spinning log longer than their competitor. Competition begins on a 14” log and progresses to smaller logs as the competition grows more intense. The smaller the log the faster the spin. In the semi-finals and finals, the winner is determined by the best three of five falls.
Boom Running
Competitors sprint atop a “boom” – a series of linked, floating logs – from one dock to another and back, as logs begin to spin out of control!
Speed Pole Climbing
Lumberjacks go head to head in the breathtaking speed pole climb as they scale a 60′ or 90′ pole & seemingly fall to earth in record time!
60-foot Speed Climb
Using only spurs, a steel-core climbing rope, and sheer strength, competitors climb a 60-foot cedar spar pole as fast as they can. After touching the 60’ mark high on the pole, climbers quickly descend, tapping their spurs every 15’ until they touch the ground.
90-foot Speed Climb
You can feel the rush of adrenalin as climbers prepare to scale the 90’ cedar spar pole. On “GO” these incredible athletes climb toward the skies with nothing more than a steel-core climbing rope, spurs, and lots of grit. After reaching the top, athletes descend at incredible speed, tapping their spurs inside designated sections on the pole, as they make their return to earth.
Chopping
Lumberjacks and lumberjills sharpen up their axes to compete in the high intensity standing chop, underhand chop, springboard chop, and standing block chop!
Axe Throwing
Bullseye! Precision is the name of the game as competitors throw a double-bit axe as close to the center of a target as possible from a set distance away.
Sawing
Sawdust will fly when lumberjacks and Lumberjills attack lathe-turned white pine in a head-to-head competition using a crosscut saw or a souped-up chainsaw in a variety of fast and furious events!
Men’s Single Buck Saw
Using a bucking saw, a single sawyer cuts through a 20” white pine log. A small cut is allowed prior to competition to “set” the saw. Sawyers advance to the next heat based on time, not placement in the heat.
Women’s Single Buck Saw
A 16” white pine log is used in the Women’s Single Buck competition. Sawyers use a bucking saw to cut a complete wood circle, or cookie, off the end of the log. If a cookie is incomplete, they will be disqualified.
Men’s Double Buck Saw
Using a two-person bucking saw, teams must work together to pull the saw through a 20”white pine log. Their goal is to sever a complete wood cookie off the end of the log faster than the competing teams.
Jack & Jill Double Buck Saw
In the Jack & Jill competition, one lumberjack and one lumberjill work together to cut through a 20” diameter white pine log. Go team!
Jill & Jill Double Buck Saw
Using a double buck saw, a team of lumberjills work together to sever a complete wooden cookie off the end of a 20” white pine log. Cheer them on!
Master’s Double Buck Saw & Master’s Underhand Block Chop
Master sawyers and choppers are over the age of 50 and still cutting & chopping strong! Master’s events are handicapped events; event officials determine the handicap for each athlete or team based on age. The starting cadence is counted off until each athlete or team begins.
Hot Saw
Cover your ears! These saws use loud engines to cut through a 20” diameter white pine log as fast as you can say YoHo! Hot saws are made with single-cylinder motors and are designed to spin the chain on the bar quickly and powerfully. Sawyers complete three clean cuts – down, up, down. Each sawyer will have one chance per day to make their fastest cut as they try to make it to Saturday’s final competition.
Men’s Underhand Block Chop
Using a five-pound single-bit axe, competitors chop through a horizontal aspen log that is 14” in diameter and 26” long. Timing begins on the signal “GO” and ends when the log is severed.
Women’s Underhand Block Chop
This competition is set against time. Using a single-bit axe, lumberjills chop through a horizontal aspen log that is 11” in diameter and 26” in length.
Springboard Chop
Springboard chop combines the skills of a chopper and a climber. Competitors create notches in the standing tree to insert boards to spring to a higher point on the tree. Each chopper will insert 2 springboards to climb to the height of 9’ and then chop through a 12” aspen log mounted on top of the pole.
Men’s Standing Block Chop
Using a 5-pound single-bit axe, competitors chop through both sides of a vertical standing aspen log 14” in diameter and 26” in length.
Women’s Standing Block Chop
Using a single-bit axe, lumberjills will chop a vertical, 10”, lathe-turned, aspen log. Cheer on the lumberjills in this first-ever event at LWC! YoHo!