Chopping through boundaries

MADELEINE Kirwan-Edwards is heading to New Zealand in March to compete with the Australian Women’s Woodchop team.

The 34-year-old Murwillumbah resident, who is assistant principal at Brunswick Heads Public School, will take part in a best of three series of relays against the New Zealand team at Waimate on the South Island.

“I am part of a ‘Jill and Jill’ pairing, which is two female sawers,” she said. “We use a saw called a peg and raker that is around six foot (1.8 metres) long and try and move through the log as quick as we can. The team race is made up of two underhand, a single saw, two Jill and Jill and one chainsaw.”

Kirwan-Edwards’ dad has been involved in the annual Brunswick Heads Woodchop carnival since she was a baby, and she took up the sport six years ago.

“I think the thing that’s really cool about woodchopping is that when you tell someone you compete in it, everyone has a story about how they have watched it at a local show or seen it at the Sydney Royal Easter Show,” she said.

“I love that it is just something so different. It is a great community of people, and you can travel and see places you normally wouldn’t get to during the competition season.”

Kirwan-Edwards made her debut on the Australian team competing against New Zealand in Adelaide in 2024, winning the series 3-0.

While the sport is still male-dominated, Kirwan-Edwards said the growth in women taking it up in recent years has been incredible.

“The talent in the women is extremely fierce and is continuing to grow and become more competitive every year,” she said.

“The 2024 Single Sawing world title in Sydney saw around 30 women compete for the title.

“The sport itself is growing and the next generation of axemen and axwomen is evident at shows. It isn’t an easy sport to get into. You can’t just pop down to rebel and buy a saw or axe, but there are a lot of come and try days.”