32 Australian GeographicWOODCHOPPING
PAUL RAFFAELEW
OODCHOPPING is one
of the best-kept secrets of
international sport – a
thrilling combination of strength,
precision and suspense. Its world
champions, such as Laurence and
Adam, can sever a log in 30 seconds
and are so accurate they can split a
match lengthwise with one swing of
the axe. Most refreshing of all, there
are few inflated egos. No tantrums, no
steroids, just superb fitness and skill.
“There’s a civility in the sport that’s
missing in many sports these days,”
says Adrian Howie, president of the
Australian Axemen’s Association.
“The axemen respect one another, and
are always ready to help each other.”
On any weekend of the year you’ll
find a woodchop somewhere in
Australia, mostly at rural agricultural
shows, with competitors ranging from
10-year-olds to fighting-fit septuage-
narians. “There are over 2000
registered competitors,” says Adrian,
“and many more who take part just for
the enjoyment.”
The world’s greatest-ever axeman,
58-year-old David Foster, has won 186
world titles in his four-decade career,and still competes at world champion-
ship level. He is a man-mountain at
197cm and 159kg. A few days before
the Sydney event, at his property in
Latrobe, northern Tasmania, David
was tapering off his training. “Accuracy
is vital,” he says. “You’ve got to hit the
right spot, at exactly 45 degrees. More
and you’ll bury the axe in the log. Less
and it will glance off.”T
HE SPORT OF woodchopping
began not far from David’s
home late in the 19th century.
Sawyers and axemen were in greatCrowd pleaser. Despite wet weather, the axemen
events (top) are a hit. Prior to the competition,
Laurence (above, at right) and his team inspect logs.demand, toppling trees to clear bush
for grazing land and for millions of
railway sleepers. Proud of their
prowess, these toughest of men turned
their livelihood into perhaps the
country’s most traditional contest.
The first recorded match took
place in 1870 at Sprent, near
Ulverstone, when Jack Briggs took
on Joe Smith for a wager of £25.
The first woodchopping carnival was
staged 21 years later at Latrobe, 10km
from David’s home.
Since then, Tasmanians have been
at the forefront, and the very best,
including the Australian women’s
champion, Amanda Beams, travelled
to Sydney for this year’s event. David,
suffering from a chronic bad back, has
given up competing in the World
Championship Standing Block, which
he won six times, but this year he’s
racing Laurence and others in the
600mm World Championship
Double-Handed Saw. He won this
event at Sydney 22 years in a row, but
has missed out over the past 13 years.
The week before the show,
hundreds of kilometres away in
Doncaster, Melbourne, 31-year-old