Women Shatter Three World Records at Lumberjack World Championships in Wisconsin
Female athletes dominate the arena in Hayward, setting new global benchmarks in chopping and log running events.
The world of professional timber sports witnessed a historic showcase of athletic precision in Wisconsin, where female competitors shattered three world records at the annual Lumberjack World Championships. Held over three days in the lakeside community of Hayward, the event drew 66 men and 40 women representing 16 states and nine countries, demonstrating the global reach of these traditional logging skills.
The standout performer of the weekend was Karolina Urbanová of the Czech Republic, who secured two world records in the chopping disciplines. In the Women’s Underhand Chop, Urbanová sliced through 11 inches of white pine in a record-breaking 21.28 seconds. She followed that performance with another historic victory in the Women’s Standing Chop, powering through 9 inches of white pine in just 19.38 seconds.
Meanwhile, local favorite Meredith Ingbretson of Hayward thrilled the home crowd by setting a new world record in the Women’s Boom Run. Ingbretson sprinted across the water and back over eight red cedar logs in a blistering 13.78 seconds.
These record-breaking performances highlight the massive expansion of female participation in timber sports. While women have been part of the Lumberjack World Championships since the inaugural competition in 1960, their opportunities were initially limited. In the early days, female athletes only competed in logrolling. Today, they participate in more than 20 distinct disciplines.
Veteran competitor Nancy Zalewski, who has spent 27 years in the sport and trained fellow athlete Kate Witkowski, recalled a time when separate divisions did not exist. “When I started chopping I was chopping with the men,” Zalewski noted, reflecting on how far the sport has progressed.
The roots of these contests trace back to the 1890s, when lumberjacks first began testing their logging skills against one another in informal competitions. Today, the modern championships take place at the Lumberjack Bowl on the shores of Lake Hayward. The venue itself carries deep historical significance, having once served as a holding pond for log drives moving down the Namekagon River during the height of the region’s logging era.
The competitive nature of the event is matched by the specialized and expensive equipment required to compete at the highest level. Athletes rely on custom-built chain saws, meticulously honed axes, and single buck saws that can cost upward of $400 just to sharpen.
Despite the intense competition and the high stakes, participants describe a unique camaraderie. Witkowski highlighted the supportive culture of the community, noting that because it is such a niche sport with hard-to-find gear, athletes actively help each other improve. This supportive atmosphere is set against a festival-like backdrop, where spectators wear traditional flannel and suspenders, and families enjoy wood-carving demonstrations, logrolling practice, and live music.
