Karolina Urbanova shattered two world records at the Lumberjack World Championships in Hayward, Wisconsin, over the weekend. The 24-year-old from the Czech Republic set new records in the Women’s Standing Block and Women’s Underhand Chop categories. Her times of 19.38 seconds and 21.28 seconds, respectively, surpassed the previous records by significant margins.
Urbanova’s achievements are part of a larger trend of women’s growing participation in lumberjack sports. This year, 40 women from across the US and abroad joined 66 male competitors at the championships. Meredith Ingbretson, a Hayward native, also broke a record in the Women’s Boom Run, finishing in 13.78 seconds.
Lumberjack Sports
The sport has a long history in Hayward, which was founded on the timber industry in 1880. Ingbretson was introduced to lumberjack sports at age three and has been competing in logrolling for 28 years. Urbanova, on the other hand, discovered the sport through a neighbor in her small Czech village and began training with her mother and sister.
The number of female competitors in lumberjack sports has more than tripled in the past 30 years, according to Samantha LaSalle, event director of the Lumberjack World Championships. Women were initially limited to logrolling but have since gained entry into chopping and sawing block events. The Women’s Standing Block Chop, for example, was only added in 2022.
Urbanova and Ingbretson are driven by their love of competing and train year-round to refine their skills. They also appreciate the familial and collegiate atmosphere of the sport, as well as the opportunity to travel and make friends around the world.
Future of Lumberjack Sports
The growing participation of women in lumberjack sports is a significant development for the sport. As more women compete and push the boundaries of what is possible, the sport is likely to continue to evolve and gain popularity. The championships’ event director, Samantha LaSalle, notes that the times are dropping each year, indicating that the competitors are getting better and better.
The sport’s expansion is not limited to the US, as competitors like Urbanova from the Czech Republic are making a name for themselves on the international stage. As the sport continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how it develops and what new opportunities arise for competitors and fans alike.
