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History and Background:

Collegiate lumberjacking in Canada began in 1965-1966 season when a small group of students travelled to the Macdonald collage in Montreal to compete at their Winter Carnival Woodsmen Competition . Later, in 1997, the Canadian Intercollegiate Lumberjacking Association (CILA) which governs the collegiate lumberjack circuit across Canada. The association was developed to provide governance to a league so that members would have a venue to participate in a series of lumberjack competitions . Lumberjack sports also known as woodsmen, timber sports or logger sports consist of “lumberjacks” (men) and “lumberjlls” (women) competing in events focus on the origins of the logging industry including modern practices using older style lumberjack equipment . Axes, old style saws and much other gear is used in the events which can be extremely dangerous. The events include wood chopping, pole climbing, water boiling, wood sawing, chainsaw racing, log burling, axe throwing as well as log rolling and throwing. The league is sponsored by ECHO Canada, who provides sponsorship money and equipment for the competitions and league members.

There are four CILA sanctioned competitions held each year . This enables teams to earn points at each competition over the season, and crowing CILA champions each year after the final competition. The first of the four competitions is hosted by the University of New Brunswick (Fredericton, NB), the second at Sir Sanford College (Lindsay, ON), the third at the McGill University Macdonald Campus (Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC), and the final competition of the CILA season is hosted by the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus (Truro, NS).

Teams competing in CILA events consist of 6 members and often a spare, who can replace an injured member on their team (4). Teams can compete in Men’s Women’s or mixed (Jack and Jill) divisions. All competing students must be enrolled full time at a college of university. Teams compete in four team events, three doubles events, six singles events and one pool event (pool events are different at every competition) . The wood used for lumberjack sports is critical to the success of the athletes, as well as the impact on gear and gear selection by the athletes. Typically wood used for sawing and chopping events is Poplar of White Pine. White pine is preferred for the sawing events as it is a soft, fast growing with predictable knot rings. The softness and clean, knot free wood allows competitors to achieve fast times while not damaging their gear by trying to saw or chop through hard knots. Poplar or aspen wood is often used for chopping as it is soft enough to chop with an axe like white pine and easy to find knot free sections . Knots can rip teeth off saws or dent axes which can be expensive to fix .

Teams

There are schools that are members of the CILA association . These teams include Algonquin College, Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture, Sir Sanford Fleming College, McGill University Macdonald Campus, Maritime College of Forest Technology and the University of New Brunswick. Competitions began before the formation of the Canadian Intercollegiate Lumberjacking Association. The league was formed as there was a need identified for consistency among the four major competitions.

Algonquin College

The Algonquin team began lumberjack sports in the mid 1980’s competing in men’s women’s and Jack and Jill competitions in McGill University and Sir Sanford College. The school became a non-hosting member of the Canadian Intercollegiate Lumberjacking Association back in 2002 . The school attends the Macdonald and Sir Sanford Fleming competitions each year .

Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture

Woodsmen began in 1965-1966 year while this campus was known as the NSAC with the team travelling to the McGill Campus for their winter carnival woodsmen Competition. As interest peaked in these events, The NSAC rams accepted invitations to UNB to compete in 1967, and Lindsay in 1983 and started hosting their own competition in 1986 which helped to form the current 4 event schedule for CILA Competitions . The woodsmen team at the AC is now a recognized varsity sport in the school’s athletic program.

Sir Sanford Fleming College

The woodsmen program began in 1973 for the Fleming team as they attended the competition held at the McGill campus. Following the competition, the program continued as they hosted their first lumberjack competition back in 1982. Fleming College has been a CILA sanctioned school since the inception of the association .

McGill University MacDonald Campus

In 1954 the Macdonald team began their lumberjack program, starting the first recorded collegiate competition. The team hosted the only competition for a number of years until 1964 when the second competition was hosted where they attended at the University of New Brunswick

Maritime College of Forest Technology

Known as “the ranger school” the MCFT team began competing in lumberjack competitions when UNB started hosting in 1963 where they won their first competition. After a period of The school joined CILA in 2008 (10). The team typically travels to UNB, MacDonald and Dalhousie AC’s competitions each year .

University of New Brunswick

The UNB began hosting Competitions in 1963 at their school. However, the team began competing in lumberjack competitions in winter of 1962 at the Macdonald Campus competition. With a strong forestry program at the institution, the team has always had an undying breed of forester and undying interest in the lumberjack sports program .

Events

Events are time based, with the fastest time being declared the winner with the exception of Axe throwing which is scored based on a target. First place is awarded 100 points in their event that adds towards an overall team score . There are 13 core CILA events, meaning they are included in all CILA competitions, and one pool event at each competition. The Pool events change at each completion. Each team member must compete in one single event, one doubles event, and all four of the team events. One member on each team will compete in the extra pool event, totaling 14 events at each CILA competition (15). Men will saw and chop 8x8 inch square timber and the women competitors will saw and chop 6x6 inch squared timber.

Team Events

Team Crosscut Sawing

Crosscut Sawing

Crosscut sawing involves two team members pulling a double handled 6ft long saw back in forth the timber. cuts are made perpendicular or across the wood. Each pair of sawyers must make two cuts through the 8x8inch timber and hand the saw off to the next pair of competitors, after all 3 pairs of competitors each make 2 cuts, totaling 6 cuts for the team, the time is stopped. Incomplete cuts from the log will result in time penalties The crosscut sawing event was developed to simulated how lumberjacks used to cut and shorten logs more than 100 years ago . The saw was improved technology over the axe. Saws used in competition consist of small groups of cutting teeth as well as rakers to clean out the woodchips for optimum speed throughout the cut .

Team Swede Sawing

The swede saw or bow saw event requires each member on the team make one complete cut the log. The event starts on go and each member of the team passes the saw to their teammate in order to complete the event in the fastest time possible. Once all six members of the team has completed their cut, totaling six complete cuts from the log, time is stopped and the event is competed. The bow saw was used in lumber camps to shorten or “buck” small logs and branches.

Team Log Decking

Log decking simulates lumberjacks rolling logs into the mills. There pairs of competitors from each team must work together using peeves to run the log down off of the deck (45inches high) towards two pins that are 10 meters away, on timber that is used as rails. Once the log hits the pins, the competitors return the log to the top of the deck, hand the peeves off to their teammates and the next pair goes. This event continues until all three pairs have ran the log down the course and back to the top.

Team Pulp Toss

The team pulp toss (Pits) to lumberjacks is like horseshoes to the average person. In this event, four-foot-long spruce or poplar logs are thrown by the competitors and must land between two stakes that are placed four feet apart 20ft from the thrower (22). The purpose of the event is for the team to score 48 as fast as possible (21). Meaning that the competitors must land 48 pieces of wood, or “pits” between the stakes at the other end of the pits area (22). The pits area has two ends, each with stakes mounted 21 feet apart, with the opening between them 4 feet wide. Three competitors from the team stand on either side. The pits start on one end and the competitor throws the four pits to the other side. The competitor on the far side will then throw them back the opposite way in order to continue the event. Time stop once the team has successfully placed 48 pits between the stakes. If the pits land outside the stakes or roll away, they do not count (22).

Doubles Events

In doubles events, one member of the two competitors on each team completes their chop or split, once completed, the second member of the duo will complete their portion. The winners are the pair of competitors who can both complete the task in the shortest time possible.

Underhand Chop

Underhand Chop

The underhand chop is often thought of as one of the most dangerous events in lumberjack sports. Competitors swing 5 pound, razor sharp axes just centimeters from their feet. On go, the chopper will cut half way through the horizontal log horizontally mounted under their feet, and then turn to the back side to finish the other half. Competitors wear chain mail guards on their feet and legs to prevent injury. This event mimics how lumberjacks used to cut fallen logs into shorter lengths .

Standing Block Chop

Standing Block Chop

The standing block chop involves swinging a five pound, razor sharp axe at a vertically mounted block. The standing block chop simulated felling a tree. Competitors chop approximately halfway through one side of the block, turn around to the back side and finish the chop. Precision with the axe is key for the standing block chop. Competitors must ensure that the axe is presented to the wood at the perfect angle and apply enough strength to get through the block. Time stops when the block is severed or cut in half .

Quarter Split

Quarter Splitters are each given a block of wood, usually round poplar 20cm diameter, 50cm long, with a 5cm dot painted on the top . The purpose of this event is to simulate wood splitting with an axe. Competitors must split the wood in to four completely separate pieces, each having paint on them. If the competitor’s pieces are not full length, are not completely separated from other pieces, or do not each have four pieces with paint on the, the team is disqualified .

Singles Events

Single Buck

The Single buck is an event where a single competitor uses a 6ft razor sharp saw, similar to the crosscut in order to make one complete cut through an 18 inch round piece of white pine or poplar. The competitor starts with the saw in the wood as they are allowed a 12 inch “starter Cut” . The small sharpened teeth on the saw rip through the wood in order to make the cut. The single buck requires immense amounts of brute strength combined with technical skill in order to achieve fast times with the event being coined “The Misery Whip”. The single buck as similar origins as the crosscut saw in lumberjack history, being used in the lumber camps more than 100 years ago .

Super Swede

Super Swede involves a competitor using the swede or bow saw used in team swede sawing to complete four cuts from the log in the fastest time possible.

Water Boil:

In this event, a competitor is given an axe, three matches, a dry block of cedar wood and a can of soapy water with the objective to build a fire in order to boil the can of water over as fast as possible . Competitors will make small shavings with their axe, light the fire, and split the block of wood into small kindling in order to provide fuel for the fire and a platform to support the can. Watch for the competitor’s down blowing, and putting oxygen to their fires to speed them up making big flames in the process. Practice and strategy are key for this event.

Axe Throw

Axe throwing is a popular event in lumberjack competitions. This involves a competitor throwing a double-bitted axe at a (60cm) target mounted 20 ft. away from the thrower. Similar to darts, the objective of the event is for the thrower to throw the axe four times and score the highest score possible. On the target there are 3 rings, the bullseye is worth 25 points, the second ring, 15 and the outer ring 10 making 100 the best possible score . The competitor must throw the axe in a rotation so that the leading edge sticks and stays in the target. If the axe falls out of the wood, the throw does not count .

Stock Saw

Stock Saw

This is the only power tool event in the CILA competitions. Competitors used matched, ECHO CS-620P stock saws, exactly like the ones the everyday person can purchase at the chainsaw dealer. The saw is warmed up for 15 seconds, and placed on the ground while running. The competitor starts with their hands on the wood. On go, must pick up the saw and make two cuts on an 8x8 inch log within a specified 10 cm. One cut downwards, and one cut upwards. If the competitor cuts over the 10 cm line, or has an incomplete cut, the competitor will be disqualified . Competitors must wear Kevlar chaps, eye and ear protection to ensure their safety in this event. Since the saws are evenly matched for all competitors, the key is good technique and reaction time. The best competitors will take less than 1 second to get the saw from the ground and into the wood after go, and less than 0.2 seconds on their transition from their down cut to their up cut .

Pole Climb

Pole Climb

Competitors in the pole climb attach heal spurs to their feed and climb up a 30ft telephone pole as fast as possible. After the go signal, competitors race up the pole and must hit the bell at the top with their hand to stop the time. Competitors must wear a climbing harness attached to a belay rope in order to ensure that they do not fall off of the pole . This event simulates the tree climbing aspect of the forestry industry.

Pool Events

The pool events change at each of the four CILA Competitions. The UNB competition uses Accuracy cutting as their pool event. Accuracy cut requires the competitor to make a series of specified cuts with a chainsaw in different directions on the log as specified by the rules on competition day in the fastest time possible. Choker race is the pool event at the Sir Sanford Fleming Competition. This requires a competitor to run through an obstacle course, running on top of logs and jumping over logs, setting a choker cable and a boom chain in the fastest time possible. The Macdonald Campus Competition uses a snowshoe race as the pool event which requires competitors to wear snowshoes and run a designated trail as a timed event. The final pool event used by Dalhousie’s team is dryland log burling. A horizontally mounted log running on bearings is able to spin freely as competitors run on the top. Competitors are pitted head to head in this event with the objective to force your opponent off of the log .

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