Australian_Geographic_2015_07-08.

RALPH ALPHONSO

BLADES OF GLORY

Story by Paul Raffaele

“Axemen, stand to your logs.”

The announcer’s command

booms across the arena at the

Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Axemen have travelled from

all over Australia, and many of

the 19 countries where the

sport is practised, to compete.

On the afternoon of the

final day, after 11 days of fierce

competition, eight of the

world’s greatest axemen stand

ready to race each other in the

most prestigious event, the

375mm World Championship

Standing Block (log). Specta-

tors crowd the arena and most

eyes are on the top pair, New

Zealander Adam Lowe and

Victorian Laurence O’Toole.

Both have won several

world championships, but

there the similarity ends.

Adam is built like a bulldozer,

while Laurence is woodchop-

ping’s version of a racing

Ferrari – long, lithe and

bristling with dynamic power.

Each grips a racing axe, its

steel head polished to a mirror

finish. The crowd falls silent.

On the announcer’s count of

three the big men explode

into action. Thock! Thock!

Thock! Their axes blur into

smears of silver. Woodchips

sing through the air like

bullets as their mighty blows

gouge deep into the logs. First

on the left, then in the middle

and onto the right. Again and

again and again.

Adam won the event in

2014 and takes the lead but

Laurence is close behind.

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