Sports logging: an unusual world record for a Quebec resident

She uses an ax the way some people do magic with a hockey stick or tennis racket. Stephanie Naude is a formidable woodswoman and world record holder.

• Read also: Lumbering for sport: She had never touched an ax before arriving at McGill

Like every summer for seven years, Node participates in dozens of professional competitions. Lumberjack Or “recording sports events” in French. Her highlight of the year came in August in Chilliwack, British Columbia, at the STIHL Timbersports Canadian Championships when she posted the best women’s time in the horizontal axe.

With his feet firmly planted on a block of wood, and in perfect balance and control, Nod doubled down on his strikes between his legs at a furious pace to chop the wood in 28.62 seconds.

“It was a surprise, because I didn’t know the old world record. I was going there to win the race, but I didn’t think about the record.” Newspaper While driving to New Brunswick for an event.

“It wasn’t exceptional when I think about what I’m capable of. But the STIHL world record is a small bonus! »

Not the first

The 28-year-old Kibi runner also set a new record last year during the Independent World Championships in Wisconsin with a time of 24.25 seconds on the horizontal axe, in addition to finishing second in the general classification.

Like boxing, there are many organizations that offer lumberjack events, the timing of which may vary. Those of the STIHL series are the most famous all over the world. Furthermore, Naud was crowned champion in Chilliwack in the four women’s cumulative events (see table below), securing her a spot at the World Championships scheduled to be held in Europe in the spring.

And at the national championships, she wasn’t the only Quebecer. Andrian LaSalle, a former athlete trained by Node who now coaches at McGill University, placed fourth out of a total of eight participants.

Long Distances

In Quebec, this specialty is not very popular despite the history of forestry activities. It is attracting attention elsewhere in Canada as well as in the United States. So Node travels thousands of kilometers during the summer, accompanied by her coach Jean-Pierre Mercier, “the best chainsaw sharpener in the world,” she says.

“We travel eight hours on average to go to a competition,” says the Brigham, Istry, resident. In Wisconsin, it was a 20-hour drive. We do it by car, because of our extensive equipment [haches, scies, pièces de protection, etc.]. In Chilliwack, we went there by plane [45 heures en auto]But I only brought a saw and three axes, which is the bare minimum. »

And despite what you might think, it’s not that difficult to cross the Canada-US border with such sharp tools.

“Sometimes customs officers are surprised when they learn that I participate in competitions Lumberjack. They think it’s cool and ask me questions about the tests. “Sometimes they want to see our equipment, but it’s just out of simple curiosity,” Naud says.

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Stephanie Naud playing the horizontal axe at the Canadian Championships.

Photo courtesy of Kayla Roy, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS

Beat the guys

The latter does not often participate in mixed events, but she can withstand the men.

“I can’t beat the top players, because I can’t keep up with their physical strength, but I can do better than beginners or those who only have a few years of experience.”

During the Saint-Pamphile Log Festival, in Chaudière-Appalaches, the nearly 6-foot-1-inch tall woman achieved the third-best time, for men and women combined.

“Everyone saw it in the same wood too!” she says with pride.

“A lot of times, men keep it dead, and don’t talk about it much. I think pride is hard,” Naud says.

Al-Hattab’s four women’s sports disciplines

■ Cutting with a horizontal axe

■ Cutting with a vertical axe

■ Cutting with a Godinard saw

■ Cutting with a saw

Men also participate in axe-cutting as well as open-ply saw cutting.

“I’m glad I’m not doing a modified chainsaw [classe ouverte]“Because these saws are $10,000 to $15,000, plus they weigh 50 to 60 pounds,” says Stephanie Naude.