MOSCOW — Like most hard working finance students, Willi Boni looked forward to unwinding over spring break. But instead of hitting the beach in Cabo san Lucas, Boni, a Washington State University junion, will be swinging an axe to help defend the WSU Logger Sports team championship this week at the Association of Western Forestry Clubs 68th Annual Conclave being held at the University of Idaho Plant Science Farm.
ESPNU provides TV coverage of Logger Sports events
Hosted by UI, the conclave is the Northwest’s largest logger sports competition and will be covered by ESPN’s college sports channel, ESPNU. Boni and eleven other WSU students, including Megan Pence, a junior in political science, will compete in traditional forestry events such as sawing, chopping, pole climbing, burling/log rolling and chainsaw races. Undefeated since 2005, Pence says the WSU team faces some “up and coming competition” this year from among the visiting teams from Montana, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and California.
WSU’s defending championship Logger Sports team
“WSU’s team is the smallest it has been in a few years,” said Pence. “We’d really like to invite students to come out and watch the competition and think about joining us. Anyone can join the team – you don’t have to have a background in forestry or logging,” she said.
Ian Laughlin let his axe fly in underhand speed chopping contest
Pence, whose mother once competed in logger sports at the University of Washington,
will vie in the “single buck” – her favorite event – where a seven foot crosscut saw is used to sever a log. Entering her second year of competition, she will also throw the axe and run the obstacle pole for WSU.
Laughlin wins first heat in chopping contest
Boni, who excels in the single and double buck and both underhand and vertical (axe) chop, said the team uses a mix of weights, cardio and endurance to train for the events. “One minute of sawing means giving one hundred percent of your energy standing in one place – it’s a very intense workout,” he said. As for accidents, Boni says “we actually incur fewer injuries than in ultimate frisbee. Maybe once a year someone slips and gets cut on an axe or sprains an ankle falling off a log.”
ESPNU interviews Laughlin after his win
The week is not all about physical competition, however – students will have a chance to get acquainted with northern Idaho through tours of the area including visits to the White Pine Scenic Byway and the Wolf Education and Research Center in Winchester. Other events allow students to test their knowledge of plant identification, compass navigation and estimating the amount of board feet in standing trees.
Enthusiasm high among team and supporter from Humbolt State University, whose colors are… you guessed it, yellow and green. And, get this, their mascot name is the Lumberjacks!
Highlighted at the conclave this year was the Stihl® Timbersports ® Collegiate Series where the best athlete from each college team competed in a series of events in hopes of winning a Stihl sponsorship to the national contest this summer. Ian Laughlin, a senior in entrepreneurship, represented WSU in the Series held March 14.
The events are free and open to the public March 14–16 from 9am until 4 pm daily. They are being held at the Logger Sports Facility at the University of Idaho Plant Science Farm located off the Troy Highway. For more information you can contact the WSU Loggersports Team at: wsuloggingsports@hotmail.com or visit http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/archives/2007/loggersports-2007-03.html or www.cnrhome.uidaho.edu/loggersports.
And don’t forget, if you’re looking for something to do during spring break, you’re invited to support the WSU Logger Sports team at the competition.
(Photos by Becky Phillips, WSU Today staff.)
