Three Women Break World Records at Wisconsin Lumberjack Championship

The Lumberjack World Championships in Hayward, Wisconsin concluded Saturday with three new women’s world records established across multiple timber sports events. The three-day competition drew 66 male and 40 female competitors from 16 states and nine countries to the annual gathering held on the shores of Lake Hayward.

Karolina Urbanová of the Czech Republic captured two individual world records during the competition. She won the Women’s Underhand Chop by cutting through 11 inches of white pine in 21.28 seconds and also claimed first place in the Women’s Standing Chop, completing 9 inches of white pine in 19.38 seconds.

Local competitor Meredith Ingbretson of Hayward established the third world record in the Women’s Boom Run, sprinting across and back over eight red cedar logs in just 13.78 seconds. Athletes competing in the championships invest significantly in specialized equipment, with custom-built chain saws, precision-sharpened axes and buck saws often costing hundreds of dollars each.

Women’s participation in the championships has expanded dramatically since the inaugural competition in 1960, when female athletes competed only in log-rolling events. Today, women participate in more than 20 different timber sports competitions, according to organizers. The lumberjack sport tradition itself dates to the 1890s, organizers noted.

Nancy Zalewski, who has competed for 27 years and trained other participants including fellow athlete Kate Witkowski, highlighted the collaborative spirit within the niche sport. Witkowski echoed those sentiments, noting that athletes support one another because the specialized gear is difficult to acquire and the sport remains relatively unknown compared to mainstream athletics.

The venue at the Lumberjack Bowl occupies the former site of a log-holding pond for drives down the Namekagon River. The event features wood-carving demonstrations, children’s log-rolling training, live music, food vendors and axe-themed activities alongside the competitive sawing and chopping events.