Mitch Argent takes Australian woodchop title at Brunswick Heads

Argent on his way to winning the National Title at brunswick Heads Woodchop last week. Photo Jeff Dawson

The Brunswick Heads 60th annual Woodchop got in three days of good competition and decided an Australian title despite extreme temperatures, and torrential rain washing out the last day.

‘Early in the week it was very hot, but there was plenty of good competition and some brilliant chopping,’ treasurer of the Woodchip committee, Joy Slater said.

‘World Champion Laurence O’Toole was there, and the other members of the Australian team, and the other competitors all put in a good show,’ she said.

The 372mm Standing Block Australian Championship was won by M Argent ahead of O’Toole, J Dingle and K Steers.

The heat throughout the early days really tested the competitors who had to battle sweaty hands, heat stress and fitness issues.

But after the huge downpour on Friday night the ground was just too wet for the event to go on.

‘We use tractors and other machines to carry the logs and they would have destroyed the reserve,’ Joy said, ‘You couldn’t even push a wheelbarrow’.

Other results

M Argent was named Men’s Champion while the Women’s Champion was share d between J Stratton and J Beutel.

O’Toole also came second in the 375mm Jack and Jill, first in the 275mm Underhand, first in the Open 325mm Underhand Handicap and second in the Doublehanded Sawing Championship (with J Lentz).

K Heaton won the  Women’s Point Score (handicap) after coming first in the Jill Single Handed Sawing Championship, third in the Jill 275mm Underhand Championship, first in the Jill & Jill Doublehanded Sawing Championship (with J Beutel), first in the Sawing Championship and third in the Jill & Jill Doublehanded Sawing Championship.