This weekend, from June 6 to June 7 at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, the STIHL Timbersports competition brings its first ever round of national series competition to Utah. This series showcases what woodsman sports are all about: speed, straight cuts, accuracy and skill with traditional lumberjack tools.
There will also be a Wild Outdoors Festival featuring free hands-on demonstrations of other outdoor activities: an Outdoor Recreation Vehicle track, archery with the Utah Bowhunters Association, a campfire cooking competition, fly fishing and tying, gold panhandling and rock climbing.
Woodsman trades have existed throughout the ages. And if it’s possible to turn something into a contest, then someone will. Formal and informal woodland competitions have existed alongside the wood-chopping industry since its inception.
It has not been until recently that things have really taken off for these competitions. Although most competitors have some sort of background in the tree industry, through family ties or other influences, the birth of these activities as a sport in its own right has been a relatively recent development.
The STIHL series began in 1985. The competition has continued to grow and was partly responsible for the invention and popularity of the College Lumberjack Sports series. Internationally, timbersports have grown as well, and groups like the British Lumberjack Sports Association have emerged.
When you see someone chop through a 12-inch diameter log in less than 30 seconds, you’ll understand that the speed and skill displayed by these athletes is nothing short of impressive.
The days of old bearded men in plaid shirts might be close to extinction, but these individuals take their events very seriously. Many have extensive training regimens, practice saws or axes and even utilize coaches for the sport. Make no mistake, these individuals are professional athletes. However, there is not much money involved, so most athletes still hold their day jobs.
All the events are based on skills that are required for lumberjacking. The Thanksgiving Point competition will feature eight different disciplines. Although the names are not quite self-explanatory, they can be separated into the different saw types utilized.
In the single buck, the competitor must use a long handsaw with very large teeth to make one cut through an 18- to 20-inch log of white pine.
The stock event is a head-to-head duel between two athletes using the exact same chain saws to make two cuts through similar logs.
The hot saw event caters to the tech geek in all of us and is comprised of drastically modified chainsaws carefully designed and tuned specifically for their users and this event.
For the axe events, the underhand and standing chops are rather similar. Competitors are timed and must chop through a 12- to 14-inch diameter log of white pine from two sides. Time ends when the log is severed in two. The only difference between the two events is that in the underhand, the athletes stand on top of the log they are chopping, and in the standing chop the log is standing vertically.
The spring board might be the most visually impressive and physically demanding of the bunch. When the time commences, the competitor must first chop a small slot in a 9-foot-tall beam in front of them. A board with a metal tip called a spring board is then inserted in the hole like a step. This feat is then repeated again and again, and finally the top of the pole must be chopped off while standing on the second spring board. Accuracy and speed are definite keys to this event.
There are also agility events comprised of speed climbing and boom running. In boom running, the object is to run across logs that are chained together and floating in water.
Speed climbing competitors must use metal spikes attached to their boots called “toe gaffs” and a hand strap to race to the top of a 60-foot pole and then slide back down.
All the events are impressive in their own right, but must be viewed in person for full appreciation.
Erica Brown, media coordinator of Thanksgiving Point said, “These events have been made possible through tremendous efforts by the Utah Sports Commission and the Utah Valley Borough of Commerce. They are both constantly looking for new and unusual outdoor sporting opportunities for the whole family, and for individuals from all walks of life.”
Although the timber industry may be in the process of phasing out in the United States, these competitions provide a wonderful venue for their heritage to live on.
Heather BarnumTempersports athletes will display their speed and skill with axes and saws at thanksgiving point this weekend.
Heather BarnumFirday and Saturday at Thanksgiving Point top Timbersports athletes will compete in eight different events. This competition will mark the first time that the Timersports national series has come to Utah.