The annual Lumberjack World Championships, a highlight in Hayward, Wisconsin, is increasingly becoming a stage for female athletes, challenging historical gender norms in a sport traditionally dominated by men. This year's championship marked a significant milestone with nearly half of the competitors being women, or 'lumberjills,' demonstrating their prowess in various demanding events. Their growing presence signals a transformative period for timber sports, emphasizing skill, dedication, and competitive spirit over outdated stereotypes, and paving the way for a more inclusive future.
Pioneering Women Redefining Timber Sports at the Lumberjack World Championships
In the vibrant summer of 2025, the serene northern Wisconsin town of Hayward, renowned for its picturesque landscapes and the colossal Musky sculpture, became the buzzing epicenter of the 65th annual Lumberjack World Championships. This global spectacle, often referred to as the 'Olympics of timber sports,' drew a diverse cohort of athletes from 16 US states, Canada, Australia, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Wales. Spectators flocked to the bleachers overlooking a tranquil cove, captivated by the intense competition featuring axe-wielding, crosscut sawing, and log sprinting.
Historically, the logging industry in the Midwest, a powerful force in the early 20th century, was almost exclusively a male domain. Loggers were seen as rugged figures, felling trees and navigating logs down rivers, while women typically supported the camps as cooks. This traditional imagery often associates lumber sports with burly men. However, the 2025 championships dramatically overturned this perception, with an impressive 45 of the 100 competitors being formidable 'lumberjills.'
Among the standout athletes was Erin LaVoie from Spokane, Washington, a CrossFit gym owner and the 2024 female all-around champion. Her journey into competitive lumberjacking began during her forestry studies, drawn by the sight of a speed-chopping team. LaVoie recalls her initial struggle and ultimate captivation: 'I loved the challenge. My hands were bloody before I was done with it, it took probably a day to finish a block of wood. And I was hooked.' Now, she can expertly chop through a log in under 30 seconds and saw one in less than 15. Although she was narrowly surpassed by Canadian lumberjill Stephanie Naud this year, LaVoie's seven all-around titles speak volumes about her enduring excellence.
The Lumberjack Bowl, an arena built around an inlet of Lake Hayward, once served as a holding pond for logs. Today, it hosts various competitions. While some events, like the physically demanding 60-foot and 90-foot speed climbs, remain male-dominated, women have consistently participated in the women's single-hand crosscut sawing and the underhand chop since 1994. In the underhand chop, athletes balance on horizontal logs, powerfully cutting through them in a V-shape at the starting signal. This year, Hayward's own Kate Witkowski set a new women's world record in the standing block chop, expertly cleaving a vertical log in a mere 21.17 seconds.
Samantha Graves, a 'lumberjill' from Victor, New York, who works for a tree company, often faces misconceptions about her sport. She clarifies that timber sports extend far beyond casual axe-throwing, emphasizing, 'we're professional athletes.' The championships feature serious axe-throwing, where competitors hurl large double-bit axes with precision.
Martha King from Pennsylvania, another prominent competitor, has witnessed the evolution of women's involvement. She notes that while earlier victories might have seemed easier due to fewer competitors, the growing participation fosters a more intense and stimulating environment. 'This is what you want. You want intense competition. You want to raise the bar. You want people to push you,' King asserts, highlighting how this increased rivalry propels the sport forward.
The log rolling and boom running events are crowd favorites. Boom running involves athletes sprinting across a series of floating logs. Log rolling, a mental and physical sparring match, sees two competitors on western red cedar logs, aiming to unbalance each other without contact. Samantha LaSalle, an event director and competitor, light-heartedly quips about log rollers: 'When they fall on their butt, which happens often, we like to say: 'she got a little cedar in her seat-er.'' She stresses the importance of quick footwork, a strong core, and mental fortitude in log rolling, distinguishing it from the brute force aspects of chopping and sawing.
The women's log rolling scene is currently thriving. Livi Pappadopoulos, a 24-year-old from La Crosse County, Wisconsin, clinched her seventh US world championship title this year, with 16-year-old Aini Anderson, also from the same region, securing second place. These two, who share a sisterly bond, exemplify the sport's nurturing environment. Anderson credits Pappadopoulos as a mentor, recounting how watching her teacher out-roll male competitors inspired her. 'Just seeing her being able to get falls on them and compete with them and humble them. It's like, 'I want to do that too one day!'' Anderson exclaimed, reflecting on her aspirations.
Pappadopoulos, gazing across the water, expresses the profound significance of the championships: 'No matter how many years I've been competing here, no matter how much time passes by or how much older I get, something about this view standing here at the Bowl makes me a little teary.' For her and many others, this event transcends a mere competition; it's the culmination of their year's dedication and anticipation. 'This is what our entire year is centered around... This is what we work for and what we look forward to,' she passionately concludes, encapsulating the deep emotional connection athletes have with this unique and evolving sport.
The increasing prominence of 'lumberjills' in the Lumberjack World Championships is a powerful testament to the ongoing redefinition of traditional sports and professions. It underscores the vital role of inclusivity and equal opportunity, proving that passion, skill, and unwavering determination can dismantle any barriers. This development is not merely about athletic achievement but signifies a broader cultural shift, inspiring future generations to pursue their ambitions regardless of preconceived notions or historical precedents. The championships now represent a dynamic fusion of heritage and progress, where the echoing thuds of axes and the splash of logs celebrate both a storied past and a pioneering future.
