New Zealand veteran axeman Terry Rice (67), of
Christchurch, competes in the standing block section of the
teams event at the Southland Otago Axemen's Association's
woodchopping competition in Cromwell yesterday. Photo by
Linda Robertson.
Woodchips and axes flew in Cromwell yesterday as 25 men
and women attacked 115 willow logs in the Southland Otago
Axemen's Association wood-chopping competition.
The competition, the second in a circuit of six,
attracted entrants from as far away as Wales, club member
Karen Corbin, of Riverton, said.
She was one of the few women from throughout the South Island
to ''chop'' and said she did it because she loved the
challenge.
''And it's a social thing. We get together at the end of a
day and analyse things ... the boys all tell lies.''
There were four events in the competition - the underhand
chop, the standing chop, double-sawing (two men) or Jack and
Jill sawing (a man and a woman), and the axe throw.
Afterwards, there was a ''just for fun'' teams event in which
six people joined forces to chop four logs and saw through
another.
Local lad Brad Pako (16), the under-21 South Island champion
and a member of the under-21 New Zealand team, also competed.
He plans to compete in Canada and Wales next year. The
circuit continues with an event in Gore today.
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