Rain doesn't stop Lumberjack Classic

Laurel Gieszelmann, a chainsaw roaring in her hands and rain falling around her, balanced precariously Saturday several feet off the ground and at the end of a slick log.

Two years ago, Gieszelmann had accidentally stumbled into the University of Idaho's logger sports club when she registered to take an integrated seminar course, and Saturday she got the chance to show off her skills during the 36th annual Lumberjack Classic at the Pitkin Forest Nursery outside of Moscow.

Gieszelmann is currently a junior at the UI and is studying studio art and design. Lucky for her, members of the Logger Sports Club do not have to be forestry majors or in a related field to join.

She said she spends a large portion of her time as a design major looking at a computer screen, so competing in the logging sports provides her a good balance.

On Saturday, the events ranged from the Jack and Jill crosscut sawing, horizontal hard hit, vertical chopping, single bucking, axe throwing, the choker race and obstacle pole.

Gieszelmann said her favorite competition of the day was axe throwing. When she first joined the club she practiced throwing axes because it was the only thing she knew how to do, she said.

"It's a good stress reliever," she said.

In addition to the axe throwing and the obstacle pole, Gieszelmann also competed in the Jack and Jill crosscut sawing event with her partner, Lucas Hight, also a junior at the UI.

Hight said he and Gieszelmann did well in the Jack and Jill competition because they fell into a good rhythm.

"Like a heartbeat," he said.

Hight said he joined the team a year ago and fell in love with the sports. He was disappointed at the low turnout for this year's competition.

In the past, schools from Spokane and Oregon have traveled to the UI to compete in the Lumberjack Classic. Gieszelmann said this year those teams did not have enough students in their clubs so the only schools represented Saturday were the UI, the University of Montana, Montana State University, University of Montana Western and Flathead Valley Community College.

Hight said the Logger Sport Club is the second oldest club on campus, and members still meet every Saturday morning at the nursery for practice.

Hight agreed the sport provides a source of stress release.

"If you're ever mad or frustrated take it out on the log. Chopping is the way to go," he said.

Hight said the club is funded entirely through donations and from the sale of fire wood that members hand chop.

Katie Short can be reached at 208-883-4633 or by email at kshort@dnews.com