Axeman David Bolstad dies suddenly

Leading former Rotorua axeman David Bolstad was a gentle giant and a very good father.

The 42-year-old died on Saturday at the Waiuku Cosmopolitan Axeman Club championships.

His mother Robin said her son had completed his final chopping event for the day about 5pm. He had put his axe box on his shoulder and felt pins and needles down his arm before he collapsed and died.

Mr Bolstad, a New Zealand representative axeman, had been at the event with his 7-year-old son, Morgan.

Born in Taumarunui Mr Bolstad and his family moved to Rotorua when he was 8 months old.

He spent more than 25 years in Rotorua and went to Owhata Primary, Lynmore School and Rotorua Lakes High School before going to work for his father, Sonny.

Mrs Bolstad said her son began woodchopping as a young child and had been an axeman for more than 30 years.

He had competed at events throughout the world. It was reported he had won more than 50 major woodchopping championships worldwide.

Mr Bolstad often competed in events at Rotorua's annual A&P; Show, where his mother presented the Sonny Bolstad Memorial trophy named after her husband, also a world-class axeman.

Mrs Bolstad said her son was a "gentle giant". "He was a serious man and very good father... He was always a sensible person."

After leaving Rotorua Mr Bolstad had moved to Tokoroa and then Taumarunui. Mrs Bolstad said her son had made an impact on a lot of people's lives. "He was very well known and very well liked," she said.

A close friend of Mr Bolstad, Barugh Heather, said Mr Bolstad's death would be a huge loss to the sport of woodchopping.

Mr Bolstad's funeral will be held tomorrow at the Taumarunui War Memorial Hall at 11am. He is survived by his wife, Michelle, daughter Brooke, 9, and son Morgan, 7. Abigail Hartevelt