Three talented athletes look to chop their way to national glory

The three will fight it out for the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Australian Trophy at the Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday, March 16 along with 22 of Australia's best woodchoppers.

Colo Vale's David Reumer debuted in the trophy format at the 2020 Australian Trophy, but ended in heartbreak.

He was on track to a big upset in his match up with Chris Owen, but he was disqualified for not wearing safety glasses when starting the chainsaw.

In the same event the following year, Reumer didn't make it past the time trail.

He has had success before though, winning the 2019 Australian Rookie Championship, and would have represented Australia at the 2020 World Rookie Championship if it wasn't for COVID-19.

Maddison Kirley, also from Colo Vale, is one of the favourites to take out the Women's Championship, having constantly placed second or third over the years.

Reumer's partner and mother of two took 2021 off as she was pregnant with her second child, so to qualify for the 2022 season, she had to compete in the women's qualifiers.

She'll be hoping 2024 is her year.

Curtis Bennett from Majors Creek is no stranger to woodchopping tournaments.

Having recently competed at the Crookwell Show, Canberra Show and Goulburn Show, the 2022 Australian Rookie Champion will be hoping to take on the top professional athletes in his first ever competition in the trophy format.

Event director Renee Kitto said she expected the men's and women's competitions to be fiercely contested.

"We know our top male and female athletes will bring their all to showcase their brute strength, determination and agility in what will be an exhilarating competition," she said.

The trophy format requires athletes to chop and saw four logs in four different disciplines back to back in gruelling knockout matchups, with the top athletes aiming to do so in under a minute.

The women's event will see six woodchoppers take part in three round competitions consisting of the underhand chop, stock saw and the single buck disciplines.