Woodchopping: Axeman passes on skill

Rotorua woodchopper Kyle Lemon. Photo / Gary Hamilton-Irvine

Rotorua's Kyle Lemon will tell you woodchopping has been passed down through his family for generations, and the New Zealand representative is now teaching his son how to swing an axe in competition.

The Rotorua Axeman's Club hosted their biggest event of the year at the weekend during the Rotorua A&P Show.

Two world titles were up for grabs at the event attracting some stiff competition from across New Zealand and Australia. Lemon was the best finisher from the host club, in the main two events, finishing sixth overall during the David Bolstad Memorial 375mm underhand world title championship. He finished a split second behind New Zealand woodchopping legend Jason Wynyard (Auckland), in fifth, while 21-year-old Mitchell Argent (Australia) took out the title.

Lemon said he started in the sport when he was a kid and had already started teaching his 8-year-old son, Braythyn.

"I've been woodchopping all my life. My Pop chopped and my Dad chopped. And that is where I picked up the sport and now I am passing it on to my boy."

He said his favourite event was probably the underhand event, which sees competitors stand on top of a block of wood and chop in-between their legs until they break through the block.

Lemon explained there were world titles up for grabs in different disciplines all over the world, and you had to meet two main criteria to offer a world title.

"It comes down to the amount of prize money and it has to be advertised internationally," he said.

He explained there were only three world titles offered in New Zealand each year, with two being offered right here in Rotorua.

"I'm pretty biased because this is my home club, but I think we have the best meeting in New Zealand. We attract world class athletes and put up world class prize money."

Lemon said some competitors at the weekend had more than 100 world titles next to their names, including Wynyard who has won more than 200.

Lemon himself has represented New Zealand "off and on for 20 years" and won his first world title in Norway in 2012 after a long wait.

"That was incredible. It was a great reward for a lot of effort from our team."

Lemon, who works as a policeman, said it was a great sport to get into and featured people from all different walks of life.

He said while there were a few really big events overseas each year, the biggest event in woodchopping was the annual Easter Show in Sydney.

"That is like the Wimbledon of the sport."

- Results from the two world-title events in Rotorua at the weekend:

Alan Salter Memorial 450mm Single Saw: 1 Jason Wynyard (Auckland), 2 Fa'avae Sefo (Masterton), 3 David Foster (Australia).

David Bolstad Memorial 375mm Underhand: 1 Mitchell Argent (Australia), 2 Shane Jordan (Stratford), 3 Jack Jordan (Stratford).