Lumberjack and Jills Take On Hayward

HAYWARD - It's referred to as the Olympics of the forest."You're still going against man against time, man against man on wood or even woman against wood nowadays,” Lumberjack World Championships Executive Director Diane McNamer said. More than 120 pro competitors from all corners of the world, "It's really addicting to chop into a piece of wood," Lumberjill Kate Witkowshi said."You're doing a sport that not a whole lot of people get a chance to compete in," Lumberjack Ben Whelan said. Paying homage to Hayward logging history in the 55th annual Lumberjack World Championships."The sports a lot of fun, I get a big adrenaline rush out of chopping the block," said Whelan. So do more than 12,000 spectators."We have people that have come from across American and this is something they have always seen, wanted to see and be apart of,” said McNamer. “Once you get that fever you just keep on returning." This is Witkowski's second year competing."I'm nervous you know, I get butterflies in my stomach and get excitement," said Witkowski. Slow, steady and precise is her technique."I do wanna win but I wanna improve my times more than I wanna win," said Witkowski. “So as long as I'm doing good for myself that's good enough for me." Whelan stays in the zone."It's been quite the journey through the sport," said Whelan. He knocked out his competitors in the single buck sawing."Being good at it is a great accomplishment," said Whelan. Winning the competition is the end goal but lumberjacks and Jills say bonding with and learning from fellow competitors is also a prize."When you get off the dock everyone's friends and giving each other advice and you know helping each other out so I think it's a really unique atmosphere." A total of $50,000 prizes are being given to competitors with the fastest times. The competition will wrap up this Saturday.