Top lumberjacks cut above rest

Lumberjacks from all over the world gathered at Thanksgiving Point on Saturday for the Wild Outdoor Festival and competed in events ranging from pole climbing to chopping logs.

In the Stock Saw event, Gaston Duperre from Quebec won his pool Saturday by posting a 12.45-second mark.

The key to his win?

"Don't be nervous. Relax," he said.

At 53 years old, he was pretty excited.

"I'm happy just to be here with the best in the world," he said.

The Stock Saw event tests the contestant's ability to operate a chain saw. At the gun, the sawyer makes two cuts through 16 inches of white pine. With only four inches of wood to work with, precision is the key.

Justin Beckett of Australia posted the best time in the Standing Block Chop event. It took him just 14 seconds to blast through 12-14 inches of vertical white pine.

"I just drew a pretty nice piece of wood," he said.

He did well in the other five events also, posting 38 points to lead his pool and qualify for the grand final competition held in two weeks in Georgia. Beckett finished fifth in the world in 2004.

The Single Buck event saw Carson Bosworth edge Mike Forrester in a photo finish. Both broke the 13-second barrier, but Bosworth was declared the winner by a tenth of a second.

This competition showcases competitors cutting through 19 inches of white pine using a single man crosscut saw. It is often referred to as the "misery whip" because of the physical toll it takes on the body.

The STIHL Timbersports Series is in its 24th year of competition, beginning in 1985, and is the oldest program on ESPN behind SportsCenter.

In total, 32 professional athletes competed in six head-to-head traditional lumberjack disciplines and two specialty disciplines.

David Bolstad of New Zealand is the reigning STIHL Timbersports champion and the world record holder in the Standing Block Chop specialty event. This event simulates felling a tree. Bolstad set the world record in 1999 chopping through his block in 12.28 seconds.

Stamina and brute strength are vital traits needed to win this competition.

Additionally, according to Bolstad, the key to success in the Standing Block Chop is "precision and accuracy."

He explained, "This discipline is just like any other sport. It takes practice and dedication."

The 40-year-old Paul Bunyan look-alike estimates he has chopped some 10,000 blocks in practice and competitions.

ESPN2 was on location filming. The program will air on Nov. 15 at 10 a.m.

e-mail: wjewkes@desnews.com